Nuts and Bolts
by ThereseM
Summary: When Phil looses his engineer in the middle of Opie season he heads to Walt for some help; however the only person he can offer is his niece. A Deadliest Catch Story. Now Complete
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing, this is strictly a work of fiction and I make no money from it.

*Also any specific technical knowledge regarding the engine and the boats in general is all just from my imagination so don't go sending me comments about how I described something wrong. (Not that I think you would.)

Phil sat disgruntled in a very uncomfortable chair in the main office of Magone's Salvage. Walt was sitting across the desk from him listening to his sob story about loosing his chief engineer in the middle of Opies.

"Well, do you know anyone that's available? Are you interested?" asked Phil his voice taking on an air of desperation.

"Phil, I think I do have someone you could use" said Walt.

"That's great" said Phil relief flooding his voice.

"Well, don't get too excited. You may change your mind once you meet her" said Walt.

"Her?" asked Phil.

"Yes, my niece. She's been working with me, just got out of the Navy. She's a great mechanic but she doesn't have any real crabbing experience" explained Walt.

"How long has she been working for you?" asked Phil.

"Since before King" said Walt. "She's a real find, she'd be invaluable if something breaks while you are out at sea. She can fabricate if you need it and she's an excellent machinist."

"But she's a girl and girls and boats rarely mix well in my experience" said Phil.

"She's the only one I can spare" said Walt.

"Jesus Walt, can't I have one of the other guys?" pleaded Phil.

"Phil, you know we're busy this time of year" said Walt. "I think Jillian will be a perfect fit, the only downside is that you'll have to train her to work on deck. She's strong and smart, she'll get the job done."

"I'm not really worried about her, I'm more worried about the guys reaction to her" said Phil. "But I guess I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place."

"Let me know your decision and I'll ask her if she wants to do it" said Walt.

"Can I at least meet her? Is she here?" asked Phil. He hoped she was ugly and that the guys on the boat would be completely uninterested in her.

"Sure" said Walt.

He picked up the office hailer and called Jillian up to the office. A few minutes later a tiny slip of a girl walked in, her hair was tucked up under a hat but a few blond wisps were escaping around her face and she was wiping grease off of her hands using a well worn rag. Although the coveralls she was wearing were completely shapeless Phil could see that she was pretty and she probably had a nice little body on her. His hopes that she would be uninteresting to the crew were completely crushed.

"Yes sir" she said her tone respectful.

"Jillian I'd like you to meet Phil Harris, he's the captain of the Cornelia Marie" said Walt.

"It's nice to meet you captain" said Jillian shaking Phil's hand with a firm grip.

"Please call me Phil" said Phil.

Jillian just nodded.

"So Jilly, how's the repair on the propellor shaft going?" asked Walt casually.

"It's almost done. Frank said he'd never seen if done faster. But that's because I didn't have to take very much of it apart" said Jillian proudly. "In fact I'd like to get back to it, I think I can get it done before quitting time."

"Go, if you can do that it will definitely be the fastest shaft repair ever" said Walt.

"Nice to meet you Phil" said Jillian before walking out the door.

"What was that all about?" asked Phil.

"What is the most annoying part of doing a repair out at sea?" asked Walt.

"Going deaf in the engine room" replied Phil. "Is she already deaf?"

"No, she's not. Focus Phil. She's replacing some parts in a propellor shaft" said Walt. "She just started on it this morning."

"How come she's so fast?" asked Phil.

"She has small hands" answered Walt with a smug smile.

"Ok. Maybe I'm missing something but how is that helpful?" asked Phil.

"She can reach into tiny spaces. She made all these specially designed tools, specific for her hand size and she can use them to loosen and tighten almost anywhere her hands fit. She's really remarkable" said Walt proudly.

"Can I see her work?" asked Phil.

"Sure, lets go down to the floor" said Walt.

He and Phil walked down to the factory floor, it wasn't easy to watch Jillian work because she was basically sitting in the propellor shaft reaching underneath the rotor to replace the broken parts. Phil watched in silence as she removed a damaged bearing and replaced it without taking the parts above it off. He watched her economic movements and precise handling of all the tools. After 20 minutes Walt tapped him on the shoulder and they returned to the office.

"Well, what did you think?" asked Walt.

"She's amazing, she's got the job" said Phil.

"Now all we have to do is tell her" said Walt. "I think this kind of news should be delivered over dinner."

"Fine, as long as your buying" said Phil.

Walt once again called Jillian up to the office, he informed her that she was going to dinner at the Grand Aleutian with him and Phil.

"Sounds great, do I have time to go home to shower and change?" asked Jillian.

"Of course, why don't we meet you at the hotel in about an hour" said Walt.

"That's fine. The propellor is done, so I'm going to take off now" said Jillian.

"See you later" said Phil.

Jillian smiled and nodded her head.

"She seems a little quiet" remarked Phil.

"She's just feeling you out, she's a very guarded person" explained Walt.

"I don't know how well that will work on the boat" mused Phil.

Walt, Phil and Jillian sat in the dining room of the Grand Aleutian enjoying a few cocktails before ordering dinner. Jillian was suspicious of the dinner, she knew her uncle was plotting something and the fact that Captain Phil was with them made her slightly nervous.

"Well Jillian, how do you feel about getting out of the shop for a while?" asked Walt.

"Are you sending me to work on cruise ships in the Caribbean?" asked Jillian.

"I'm definitely sending you to work on a boat" said Walt. "Specifically the Cornelia Marie as their engineer."

"What? I'm not interested in going out on the Bearing Sea in the middle of winter. It's freezing in the shop right now I can only imagine what it's like on the deck of a boat" said Jillian.

"Jillian, it will be a personal favor to me" said Walt.

Jillian stared at her uncle for few moments then dropped her head and murmured her assent.

"Excellent, can you pack and be ready first thing in the morning?" asked Phil.

"Yes" said Jillian glumly.

"Do you have gear?" asked Phil.

"I think I have everything I could need" said Jillian.

"She has her rain gear and boots" said Walt. "I don't send her out on the boats to do repairs without gear."

Dinner arrived and Jillian ate quickly then excused herself to go pack. When she had left Phil looked searchingly at Walt.

"Do you think she's going to work out?" asked Phil.

"I know that she'll be able to do the job. I don't know how well she's going to adjust living on a boat with you and crew." said Walt.

"I hope she adjusts quick, if not it's going to be a horrible season" said Phil.

Jillian sat at her house packing her duffle bag with all the warm clothes she owned. Her rain gear was packed on top of the bag before she set it by the door. She walked back to the kitchen and pulled open the fridge. She figured half the food would go bad before she got back. Putting all the perishable food into a box she walked next door and gave it to her neighbor. When she got back to her apartment she poured herself a very stiff drink and attempted to read as much as she could about the specs of the Cornelia Marie's engine. It was after midnight when she finally turned off the computer and went to bed. She snuggled into her bed deciding that she was going to take her pillow and blanket with her on the boat. Her alarm sounded at 6 am and she dragged herself into the shower enjoying the last hot shower she'd probably get until she got back. Doing a final check of her apartment she carefully closed and locked the door before getting into her truck and driving towards the docks.

Phil had told the guys that the new engineer would be arriving in the morning and that once she had given the engine a quick once over they'd be leaving. The eruption of comments and concerns about having a female on the boat that Phil had expected didn't happen. He assumed it was because he'd hurried over the word she and the guys had just gotten back from the bar and weren't quite as sharp. He knew the eruption would happen this morning at some point and he'd steeled his nerves by smoking half a pack of cigarettes and numerous cups of coffee. He saw a truck pull up next to the boat and watched as Jillian slipped out of the driver side door. He saw her pull a duffle bag out of the bed along with what looked like a pillow and blanket, the last thing she pulled out was a tool bag. Phil walked out of the wheelhouse and down onto the deck. Freddie was out having a cigarette and smiled when Phil suddenly appeared outside.

"Morning Phil" said Freddie.

"Hey Freddie, you can be the first person to meet the new engineer" said Phil.

"Awesome" said Freddie.

Jillian tossed her bags down to the deck and then hopped down with practiced ease. She smiled at Phil and Freddie before walking forward.

"Hi Jillian, right on time" said Phil with a smile. "This is Freddie."

"Hi Freddie, I'm Jillian."

"Nice to meet you" said Freddie. "I think I've seen you around the docks."

"Yeah, I work at Magones doing repair work" said Jillian. "But I was voluntold to be the new engineer deckhand on the Cornelia Marie."

"Funny how that works" said Freddie with an easy smile.

Phil felt it could be possible that everyone would accept Jillian as well as Freddie had. His hopes were suddenly broken as Jake and Josh walked out onto the deck.

"Who's the skirt?" asked Jake.

"Jillian, this is ding and dong my sons" said Phil.

"Hi, nice to meet you" said Jillian shaking both their hands.

"Dad, did you hire yourself a nurse or a cook or what?" asked Jake.

"Jillian is our new engineer" said Phil.

"What? I thought you were going to get one of Walt's guys" said Josh.

"She is Walt's niece and a crack engineer" said Phil.

"Of course she is and the fact that she's a girl didn't seem to matter" quipped Jake.

"Speaking of engineering I was wondering if I could see the engine room" said Jillian.

Phil thankful for interruption in what was sure to be a rude tirade from Jake about Jillian's suitability, took her to the engine room.

Jillian took her time checking all the engine's components before asking Phil to fire up the main. She moved gracefully through the engine room never once hitting her head on any of the low pipes or tripping over anything on the ground. Freddie stayed with her in the engine room while Phil went back to the wheelhouse to start the engines. He was impressed at her knowledge of the engine and the way she thoroughly inspected every single part. When she finally stood up and nodded to Freddie that the inspection was complete they had both been in the engine room for almost an hour. Back on the deck Freddie grabbed one of her bags and led her into the house.

"You are going to stay in here with Jake and Josh" said Freddie stopping at one of the staterooms. "If they give you any trouble let me know and I'll straighten them out."

He dropped her bag on the floor of the room in front of her bunk. She looked around the tiny room noticing that Jake and Josh had bunks on top each other while she had a single bunk across the room. Quickly pulling out her pillow and blanket she made her bed and pulled out her rain gear. Walking out into the hallway she quickly found the ready room and hung up her gear on one of the pegs. Her next stop was the galley where she set her mug in the cupboard over the coffee maker.

"Cute cup" said Josh.

"Thanks, I figure if it was girly enough no one else would want to use it" explained Jillian.

"Well I for one can't wait to use the Minnie Mouse coffee cup" said Josh with a smile.

"Are there any rules I should be aware of?" asked Jillian.

"Lots, but we like to tell you what they are when you've already broken one of them" said Josh.

"Great" said Jillian.

"Although here's a helpful hint, there should always be coffee in the pot, if you take the last of it make a new pot" said Josh.

"Thanks for the information" said Jillian.

"So what other crab boats have you worked on?" asked Josh pouring himself a cup of coffee then filling Jillian's mug for her.

"I've worked on a lot of crab boat engines since I got here in September, but I've never worked on deck" said Jillian.

"So you are the engineer and a greenhorn" said Josh amazed.

"Wow, so not only are you a girl who probably weighs 100 pounds soaking wet but you have no experience on deck" said Jake walking down the stairs from the wheelhouse.

Jillian just looked at him her face carefully blank. She desperately wanted to get out of the room but didn't want it to be seen as running away.

"Jacob, what did we just talk about" came Phil's voice from the wheelhouse.

"You didn't tell me she had no experience" yelled Jake.

"Jake you are skating on thin ice" yelled Phil.

"At least I can bust ice, I bet she can't even lift a sledgehammer" yelled back Jake.

Jillian stood up and carried her coffee cup outside. Once she was out there she found a quiet place to sit and lit a cigarette. Josh joined her a moment later and took the seat next to her.

"Don't mind Jake" said Josh.

Jillian just nodded and took another drag of her cigarette. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Jillian staring out at the water and Josh studying Jillian. The silence was broken by Phil calling Jillian up to the wheelhouse.

Phil sat in the captains chair his foot jiggling nervously. He half expected Jillian to come up and quit because of what Jake had said. He was so aggravated by his youngest son's attitude that he considered throwing Jake over the side just to get him to shut up. Jillian appeared in the wheelhouse with a small smile.

"You called for me Captain" she said.

"Please call me Phil."

"You called for me Phil" repeated Jillian.

"Yeah, how did the engine inspection go?" asked Phil.

"Everything looks fine. Whoever you engineer was before did a good job of keeping everything in good shape" said Jillian.

"Great, so do you think we're ready to head out" asked Phil.

"Your engine is ready as for everything else I have no idea" answered Jillian.

"Ok, thanks. About earlier with Jake" began Phil.

"Listen, it's fine. I'm sure he has valid concerns about having me on board. Hell I have concerns about being on this boat. But there is nothing for it, I'm going and either he gets over it or he doesn't either way it's not going to change the way I do my job" said Jillian.

"Ok Jillian" said Phil.

Jillian nodded her head then walked out of the wheelhouse. Phil watched her go with a slight feeling of admiration, she certainly knew how to handle herself. He hoped her composure would hold for the rest of the season. Josh appeared in the wheelhouse and sat down on the bench behind Phil's chair.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Phil.

"She seems fine, Freddie said she was awesome in the engine room and that's what she's here to do" said Josh.

"Make sure that your brother doesn't ride her too much, the last thing I need is her asking to get off the boat in the middle of a trip" said Phil.

"She doesn't really strike me as someone who would do that" said Josh.

"Has she met everyone yet?" asked Phil both to Josh and the camera guy.

"She hasn't met Corey because he's still in town and I don't think she's met any of the camera guys yet" answered Josh.

"No, we need to get her fitted for a mic" said Todd.

"Well lets make sure she meets everyone and that she gets as comfortable as she can get on this boat. Then you can teach her how to bait" said Phil.

Once the orders had been given Josh disappeared downstairs.

"So Phil, what do you think of the newest crew member?" asked Todd as he repositioned the camera on the mount.

"I think she's going to work out fine, the question is will the rest of the crew work with her" said Phil ominously.

"Alright, well that's definitely going in the show it will probably be a teaser" said Todd with a smile. "I'm going to go fit her with a mic and introduce myself. Possibly not in that order."

Jillian was in her stateroom reading on her bed when Todd walked in with the other camera man. They spent a few minutes explaining how they usually shoot and what areas are considered off limits on the boat, specifically the bathroom. Then Todd showed her the mic and asked if she would be willing to wear it.

"Does everyone wear one?" asked Jillian suspiciously.

"For the most part they do out on deck, inside we can basically pick up most things with the camera's mic" explained Sean, the other camera man.

"So I don't have to wear it now then?" asked Jillian.

"No, but we want to rig you up right now so we know where to position it and make sure it works" said Todd.

"Ok" said Jillian.

The next few minutes were spent with Todd's hands up Jillian's shirt trying to attach a mic to her. Jake and Josh walked into the already crowded room to watch the show.

"Wow Todd, we haven't even left port and you've already got your hands up her shirt" quipped Jake.

"Yep, I'm one lucky dude" said Todd.

Jillian for her part just stood still and let Todd do what he needed to. Soon Todd pulled the mic off of Jillian and pronounced the mic test finished. Jillian pulled her sweatshirt back on, sat back down on her bunk and picked up her book.

"So what are you reading?" asked Todd.

"Great Expectations" answered Jillian.

"I remember having to read that for school" said Sean.

"Yeah, I think it was 7th grade or something" said Josh.

"Do you have a book report due or something?" asked Jake teasingly.

"No, I just like the story. I've read it quite a few times" said Jillian.

"Why would you ready such a boring book so many times?" asked Josh.

"Because I like it and personally I don't think it's boring" said Jillian.

"Alright everyone lets get this show on the road, we are heading out" bellowed Phil's voice over the hailer.

Jillian set her book aside relieved that she didn't have to listen to any more condescending comments for the time being.

Out on deck Jillian and Corey pulled the buoy bags onto the boat carefully securing them on the bow. Jake and Josh were pulling in the ropes when suddenly Jake had a stroke of genius.

"Hey Jillian, come over here and see if you can pull this line in" he barked.

Jillian didn't even bother to call out her answer she merely walked to where he was and grabbed the rope. Using her body weight to give her leverage she pulled the rope onto the bow. Jake stood back watching her with his mouth hanging open. After the rope was secured Jillian walked back over to Corey.

"Wow, I guess she showed you" said Josh.

"Yeah, we'll see how she does on deck once we start fishing" said Jake.

"Dad, wants me to train her on bait on the way out" said Josh.

"Better you than me" said Jake dismissively.

Jake and Josh climbed off the bow and found Corey giving Jillian an overview of what will happen once they arrive on the grounds. Jake smirked as Jillian asked what she'd be responsible for.

"Well you will start on bait and once you become a masterbaiter, then you will learn the next job" said Jake.

"Who's the masterbaiter now?" asked Jillian struggling to keep her face blank.

"That would be me, but I'm more than willing to teach you how it's done" said Josh with a smile.

"I can't wait to learn" said Jillian with a sarcastic smile.

"You'll know it backwards and forwards by the time we reach the grounds" said Josh. "But right now we might as well enjoy the sight of land before it disappears for the next few weeks."

Jillian nodded and walked across the deck to the railing. She watched Dutch get smaller and smaller as the boat headed out to sea. She wondered if she'd ever see it again but then quickly pushed the morbid thoughts out of her mind. She stayed on deck until the boat passed Priest Rock then she headed inside and up to the wheelhouse.

Phil looked mildly surprised to see Jillian in his wheelhouse but she didn't seem to be about to lodge a complaint so he took it as a friendly visit. He smiled and pointed to the bench behind his chair and Jillian climbed onto the bench with a small smile.

"I was just wondering how long before we get to the crab grounds" asked Jillian.

"About 24 hours if the weather holds. But right now the forecast is variable to terrible, so who knows" said Phil.

"Ok, I was just wondering" said Jillian.

"You can ask as many questions as you'd like. It's nice to have a crew that's interested in what's going on" said Phil.

"I'll keep that in mind" said Jillian sliding off the bench.

"You don't have to go, I get bored up here with just the camera guy who never talks back to keep me company" said Phil.

"I'll stay if you want me to, but I'm really not much of a conversationalist" said Jillian.

"Don't worry, Phil will do all the talking" quipped Todd.

"I thought you said he didn't talk" said Jillian with a smirk.

"He only talks to pretty ladies apparently" said Phil.

Jillian took her place on the bench carefully tucking her legs underneath her before pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.

"Those things will kill you" said Phil lighting his own.

"Yes, that's what the box says" replied Jillian.

"So how did a nice girl like you end up on a boat like this?" asked Phil.

"It's a long story" said Jillian.

"Well we've got 24 hours" retorted Phil.

"Fine, I'll give you the abridged version" said Jillian. "When I was 17 my mom got remarried, she wanted to seem like this was her first marriage so having a 17 year old daughter kind of cramped her style. So basically she told me I needed to move out. Because I didn't have any money I chose to go into the military, where I spent 5 years serving my country and learning how to work on boats. Then when my time was up I got out and my uncle Walt offered me a job. Now I'm here."

"That took about 30 seconds" said Phil.

"Well I said it was the abridged version" said Jillian.

"Why did you choose mechanics when you went into the Navy?" asked Phil.

"I didn't choose it, it's what I tested into" said Jillian. "If I had my choice I would have wanted to be a corpsman or something in the medical field."

"Oh really. Why?" asked Phil.

"Because they have access to all the drugs and back then I was quite the druggie" said Jillian.

"But not now?" asked Phil.

"No, I guess I outgrew it" said Jillian.

"So what does your mom think about you being up here?" asked Phil.

"I have no idea, I haven't talked to her since I left home. She has a new family now and I have no desire to be a part of it" said Jillian simply.

"Hm, that's kind of how Jake and Josh feel about their mom" said Phil.

"I'll try to keep that in mind next time Jake opens his mouth" said Jillian.

"You have my permission to pop him if he starts being an ass" said Phil.

"That would make great TV" said Todd from behind the camera.

"I'll let you know before I'm going to do it" said Jillian to Todd flashing a smile. "Well Phil and Todd if you both feel like you know enough about my life, I'm going downstairs to learn the fine art of baiting." Jillian got up and stretched causing a brief glimpse of her bare stomach.

After Jillian left the room Todd turned to Phil with a huge smile on his face.

"Well Phil, you sure know how to pick them" said Todd. "She's ridiculously hot, smart, and I bet she has a wicked right cross."

"I hope she doesn't knock any of Jake's teeth out" said Phil thoughtfully.

"Nah, worst she'll do is break his nose" said Todd.

Jillian walked into the galley and made herself a cup of noodles. She sat down at the table and had just started to eat when Jake walked into the galley.

"I was just going to cook something and now you've ruined your appetite" he said.

"You sound like a mom" said Jillian.

Jake's smile dropped from his face and he turned to rummage through the fridge.

"Do you cook?" he asked suddenly.

"I know how to, I've never actually cooked for another person so I can't really say if I'm good at it or not" replied Jillian.

"Hmph" was the only response she got from Jake.

She sat in silence eating her noodles and watching Jake chop ingredients for dinner. She was impressed at his ability to sense the pitch and roll on the boat and adjust his movements.

"How long have you worked as a fisherman?" asked Jillian suddenly.

"A while, why do you ask?" asked Jake.

"Because it's really cool how you can anticipate which way the boat is going to move and adjust what your doing to keep steady" said Jillian.

"Yeah, I guess it just comes with practice. You'll get use to all the movement" said Jake.

Both Jillian and Jake paused for a moment realizing they'd just had a perfectly civil conversation.

"Do you need any help?" asked Jillian.

"Sure, you want to help me make the meatballs" said Jake.

Jillian got up and helped to roll out the meatballs, then she browned them in a huge pot that she could barely see into.

"How tall are you?" asked Jake.

"I'm 5'3, so really not that short" said Jillian.

"You look tiny right now trying to stir those meatballs" said Jake with a teasing smile.

"Yeah, maybe I need some sort of a step stool" said Jillian.

"No, can you imagine if we hit a wave or something you'd go flying" said Jake concern lacing his voice. "It's always better to keep your feet on the floor."

The meatballs were simmering in the sauce a few minutes later and Jillian moved back to the table leaving Jake alone in the galley. Josh wandered in a moment later and asked Jillian if she was ready to learn to masterbait. Jillian just rolled her eyes and went to put on some warmer clothes before following Josh out on deck.

It was freezing on deck and Jillian immediately felt like her eyeballs were turning into ice cubes in their sockets. She scuttled after Josh to the bait table and watched as he pulled boxes of frozen herring out of the freezer and threw them in the bait chopper. Jillian watched as he carefully strung cod on the lines and then scooped the chopped herring into bait bags. The whole process looked fairly easy but the smell of the fish was overwhelming and the rocking of the deck made Jillian a little nauseated. Josh made a few set ups then turned over the table to Jillian. She stuffed all the herring into bait bags first, then started working on stringing the cod and finally she put them all together hanging them in a bait set up waterfall on a piece of netting. Next she went into the freezer and grabbed a few more boxes of herring and started the whole process over again. She and Josh worked side by side making as many bait set ups as the net could hold plus a few extra in the table. Josh signaled that they were done so they both walked inside to warm up and grab some dinner.

"You did really well" said Josh washing his hands in the bathroom.

"Thanks, although I'm sure it gets harder the longer you do it" said Jillian.

"Yeah, like hour 20 when the box of herring feels like it weighs two tons" said Josh.

"Something to look forward to" said Jillian.

She finished washing up and went into the stateroom to change clothes. She slipped on a pair of yoga pants, a long sleeve shirt, another t-shirt over it and a hoodie. She also put on a pair of wool socks and her slippers.

Jillian walked into the galley and took a seat at the table next to Freddie. All the dishes were set out along with silverware, cups and napkins. Jake carried the huge pot of spaghetti and meatballs to the table setting it down gently on a folded dishtowel. Everyone served themselves then Phil said a quick prayer of thanks and they dug in. Jillian dug into the pasta with gusto, the meatballs were tender and the sauce was absolutely delicious.

"Who's got the dishes tonight?" asked Phil.

"I'll do them" volunteered Jillian.

"No, she doesn't have to, she helped make dinner" said Jake.

"She helped you make dinner and there was no bloodshed?" asked Phil in mock surprise.

"You'll never know if blood was shed because the sauce is red" said Jillian.

"I'll do it" said Josh. "I'm sure Jillian will help me dry."

"Sure" said Jillian.

"Alright kids, get plenty of rest tonight because we start this show tomorrow" said Phil.

Josh and Jillian quickly cleared the table of the dirty dishes and leftovers. Jillian quickly put the leftovers in plastic bags and set them in the fridge. Josh filled the sink with soapy water and soon the washing up began in earnest. Just as they finished the weather started to pick up and the boat began to pitch and roll noticeably.

"Well I think the weather is telling us it's time for bed" said Josh with a smile.

Jillian followed him down the hall doing her best to walk as straight as possible but failing miserably.

Jake was already in the room watching a movie on the TV at the end of his bunk. Jillian was shocked at the size of the TV, it looked completely ludicrous in such a tiny room.

"You guys forgot the popcorn" said Jake. "The feature is just starting."

"Jillian go make us some popcorn" said Josh.

"Where would I find it?" asked Jillian.

"Never mind, I'll make it" said Josh getting up and walking out the door.

"Do you like watching movies?" asked Jake.

"Yeah, although I haven't seen one since moving up here" confessed Jillian.

"Well I'm sure you'll catch up on this trip" said Josh.

"What are we watching?" asked Jillian.

"Fight Club" replied Jake.

"Cool topless men" said Jillian with a smile.

"Whatever" said Jake.

Josh reappeared in the room with a huge bowl of popcorn and some sodas. He handed out the sodas then set the popcorn bowl on the dresser where everyone could reach it. Jake started the movie and the trio snacked and watched until the credits started to run. Jillian settled down into her bunk hoping she'd be able to fall asleep. She laid there for a while listening to Jake and Josh snore quietly before finally getting up.

Padding quietly to the kitchen Jillian opened the fridge and pulled out a couple eggs and some bacon. Next she went into the pantry and got a potato and a tiny onion. Walking back into the kitchens she put the skillet on the stove and made herself a little snack. She'd just put her food on a plate when Phil came down the stairs.

"Jake, for god's sake it's too early for break...oh hi Jillian" he said clearly surprised by her presence.

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep. Would you like some?" asked Jillian.

"Sure, it smells delicious. Bring it up to the wheelhouse" said Phil darting up the stairs.

Jillian poured herself the last cup of coffee and diligently made another pot before heading up to the wheelhouse.

Jillian carefully made her way up the stairs to the wheelhouse, trying not to spill the eggs or the coffee. Once she made it up she was shocked when she looked out the windows to see the snow blowing sideways.

"So what did you make yourself at 3:30 in the morning?" asked Phil.

"Lets see, hashbrowned potatoes with onions and a scrambled egg with bacon" said Jillian.

She passed Phil a fork and they both sat together on the bench eating off the same plate. The food was eaten quickly and Jillian moved to take the plate downstairs but was stopped by Phil's hand on her arm.

"I'll take it down. I need to hit the head" said Phil. "Take over will you."

Jillian sat down in Phil's chair and watched the boat cut through the water. Although the wind was strong enough to blow the snow flurries sideways it didn't seem to be pulling or pushing the boat too much. Jillian took a moment to look at all the gauges verifying that the engine was working properly. Next she looked at the plotter which showed the boats progress towards the fishing grounds. Looking back out the windows she noticed the ice that had built up on the deck. She sighed realizing that she was going to spend her first day of crab fishing busting ice off the deck.

"Enjoying the captain's chair?" asked Phil.

"Not really, it's uncomfortable" said Jillian.

"Well it's broken in for my fat ass" said Phil.

"You don't have a fat ass" said Jillian.

"Well regardless the chair is all broken in for me which is why it's uncomfortable for everyone else who sits in it" said Phil.

"Since it's all broken in for you I'll happily give it back to you" said Jillian with a mock bow.

"Stay up here with me if you aren't too tired" said Phil.

"I'll stay, I never sleep well without assistance" said Jillian.

"What kind of assistance?" asked Phil.

"Sleeping pills, but I would never take them out here. If something happens I want to be clear headed" said Jillian.

"That's probably a very good plan" remarked Phil.

"Are you cold?" asked Phil noticing Jillian shiver a little.

"I'm fine. I think seeing the snow makes me think I'm colder than I really am" explained Jillian.

"You can come over here and sit on my lap, the heater blows right here. It's nice and warm" said Phil.

"Don't you think that's a little inappropriate?" asked Jillian.

"No, as long as you don't try anything" said Phil.

"Funny" said Jillian.

"You can sit over there and shiver or you can come over here and I'll keep you warm" said Phil.

"Really I'm fine" said Jillian.

Just then a rather large wave hit the boat knocking it slightly on an angle. Jillian tipped slightly on the bench but quickly righted herself.

"Fuck, that's my favorite pencil" muttered Phil.

"Do you need some help?" asked Jillian.

"Yeah, you have small hands, come over here and get my pencil for me, it fell" said Phil.

Jillian stood up and maneuvered herself into the tiny space in front of Phil. Once in there she crawled around on the floor for a minute before she saw the pencil. It had fallen into a small crevice. She gingerly reached her hand into the space and pulled out the pencil. She moved to stand up only to be stopped by Phil's hand on the top of her head.

"What?" she asked.

"You are about to whack your head on the bottom of the console" replied Phil.

"Thanks" said Jillian backing out until she ran into the bottom of Phil's chair. When she stood up she was basically standing between his legs, practically sitting in his lap.

"Wow, you are tiny" said Phil placing his hands on Jillian's waist.

"Jake said the same thing when we were cooking in the kitchen" said Jillian with a laugh.

"I guess we just aren't use to having little girls on the boat" said Phil.

"I'm sure there have been a fair few girls on this boat, both little and not so little" said Jillian.

"A gentlemen never tells" said Phil.

"Right" said Jillian peering over her shoulder.

She tried to move but Phil held her fast.

"Are you questioning my honor?" he asked squeezing her waist tightly.

"Possibly" said Jillian.

Phil responded by squeezing her harder then when that didn't illicit the expected response he started to tickle her. Jillian squirmed slightly but other than that she stayed fairly still.

"Well, I think you need some other sort of other torture" said Phil pulling her into his lap. Jillian sat completely still, she was at a complete loss as to what Phil could possibly do to her in this position. She felt him let go of her waist with one hand then a moment later she felt a very wet finger in her ear.

"That is so disgusting" said Jillian as she struggled to get off of Phil's lap.

Phil couldn't respond because he was laughing so hard. Jillian was finally able to free herself and bolted down the stairs.

"Come on Jillian, it was just a joke" called Phil after her.

Jillian however wanted none of it, she walked back into her stateroom and laid in bed staring at the ceiling until she heard Jake and Josh wake up.

A/N: Please read and review.


	2. Chapter 2

Jillian got up and dressed once Jake and Josh left the room. On the way to the galley she stopped at the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth and use the facilities. In the galley Jake had made pancakes with sausage and eggs. Jillian sat down and served herself some food and dug in quietly. Jake and Josh kept up a steady conversation about nothing throughout the entire meal. Freddie asked Jillian how she slept with all the snoring in her room and she replied that she slept as well as can be expected. Phil appeared announcing to the crew that they were still a few hours from their pots but that the boat was covered with ice so the crew was going to start their days busting ice. The crew finished their breakfast and suited up. Jillian took extra care to put on as many layers of clothes as she could comfortably work in. Josh helped her into her raingear and steadied her as she stepped into the rain boots.

Walking out on deck was like walking into a freezer. Jillian immediately felt tears form and freeze on her cheeks as they leaked out of the corners of her eyes. She walked unsteadily over to where the guys were gathered around a fairly large pile of ice breaking implements.

"Start with the rails" said Freddie passing Jillian a baseball bat.

"Ok, is there a special way to do it?" asked Jillian.

"Nope, just hit them and the ice will break off" said Freddie.

Jillian nodded and walked over to the rail to get started. She managed to avoid getting wet for the most part, but the spray made by the boat was crystalizing on her eyelashes and the wisps of hair escaping from her hood. As she banged the ice off the rails she took time to learn the nuances of the boat, the way when it hit a wave it would almost always list slightly to the right and the way the water splashed over the rails almost always starting in the same place. Jake and Josh were on the bow breaking ice and tossing it over the rail into the water.

"I thought you were going to make Jillian use the sledgehammer" said Josh.

"She'll get lots of chances to use it if this weather keeps up" said Jake.

"So are you two friends now?" asked Josh.

"Lets just say she's growing on me, I guess" replied Jake.

Both brothers returned to the task at hand all talk of Jillian forgotten for the moment. The crew worked for 3 hours only taking occasional breaks to warm up in front of the space heater and grab some coffee. The majority of ice was off the boat and the crew had less than an hour to grab something to eat before they got to the first string of this trip.

Jillian walked into the galley and made herself a sandwich. The rest of the guys pieced together their meals before sitting down at the table. Freddie sat down next to Jillian and started to eat. Jillian immediately noticed a slight discoloration on the tops of his ears.

"Freddie what did you do to your ears?" asked Jillian.

"It's probably frost bite. I don't like to wear a hood because it takes away some of my peripheral vision" explained Freddie.

"You should get some earmuffs or something" said Jillian gently feeling the abused flesh with her fingertip.

"But then I wouldn't get such nice attention from the pretty girl on the boat" said Freddie.

"I'm sure your wife likes your ears and would like them back in one piece" said Jillian.

"She does like them, but likes other parts of me a bit more so I try to keep those parts in tact" said Freddie.

Jillian just rolled her eyes in response and turned back to finish her sandwich.

"Hey Jillian, will you check my ears next?" asked Josh batting his eyelashes.

Jillian looked up at him with a confused look on her face, then saw that she was being teased and glared.

"Come on Josh, even if you lost a little bit of ear you would have plenty left over" said Jake teasingly.

Josh just punched Jake in response, then Jake returned the punch and before everyone knew it the boys were rolling around on the floor beating each other up. Jillian looked on slightly aghast.

"Don't worry, this sort of shit happens all the time" said Corey.

"Do they ever hurt each other?" asked Jillian.

"Not often enough to prevent them from doing it again and again" said Corey.

Phil walked downstairs and looked down at Josh and Jake on the floor. He stepped over them giving one of them a fairly hard kick before sliding into the seat next to Jillian.

"We are a few minutes away from the pots, so suit up and head out" said Phil. "Jillian, have Corey walk you through the process out there. The weather is pretty fair so you should be ok if you keep your head on straight."

Jillian just nodded, she had no words to convey the apprehension she was currently feeling. A fleeting thought of dying flitted through her mind then was crushed into submission by the more logical part of her brain. Corey nudged her and she slid out of her seat and headed to the ready room to get her gear on. She heard the distinct sound of duct tape being torn and turned her head to see Josh coming towards her with a strip of tape.

"Jillian, I'm going to tape your gloves to your sweatshirt. It helps to keep our hands as dry as possible " explained Josh.

"Ok" said Jillian sticking out her arm.

When she was all taped up she slid into her rain pants and jacket and followed the guys out onto the deck.

The ice had already begun to reform on the deck making the surface ridiculously slippery. Corey walked her through what was going to happen once they started pulling pots. He showed her how to use the stick to measure the crab, which totes were for the keepers and which were for the throwbacks. He explained that if they were going to set back the pot then she would be responsible for jumping in the pot and hanging the bait. Jillian just nodded somewhat dumbly to all the instructions, she heard them but a lot of the language made little sense to her. She hoped that once everything came into action she'd figure it out. The boat approached the first set of buoys and Freddie threw the hook snagging them on his first try. The rope was in the block and soon the crab pot was in the launcher. The doors were opened and everyone except Jillian reached in and began to sort the catch.

"Jillian, I'm not paying you to stand there and stare at the pot" said Phil over the hailer.

The announcement shook her from her woolgathering and she reached forward to pull a handful of crabs towards her. She measured each one with the stick and then tossed it into the appropriate tote. Moving as fast as she could was no match for the other guys, they didn't need a stick to measure, they could do it all by sight. The ones that were close they put in front of Jillian to measure. Soon the pot was empty of crab and Josh passed her a bait set up.

"In you go Jillian" called Phil over the hailer.

Jillian climbed into the pot which to her seemed surprisingly roomy and threaded the bait through to Freddie who secured it. She slithered out and was back standing on the deck, the whole exchange took less than 30 seconds. Everyone on deck was shocked, none of them had ever seen a greenhorn get in and out of a pot faster.

"Wow, that was fast" said Josh as he slammed the pot door closed.

"No kidding, I don't think even Jakey could go that fast" said Freddie.

"I bet I could" said Jake cockily.

"No way, she practically broke the sound barrier getting in and out of that pot" said Corey.

"We'll time it to see who goes fastest" said Jake.

He walked over to the phone and told Phil about the contest. Phil agreed to use Sean's stopwatch to mark the times. The next pot came up on the bow and Jake was ready. The others sorted the crab as Jake did a few power lunges and stretches before Phil gave him the go ahead to start. He dove into the pot stringing the bait up in 28 seconds. Everyone cheered including Jillian, it was an amazing show of agility and quickness.

"Shit Jake I didn't know you had it in you" said Freddie clapping Jake on the back. A few minutes later the next pot was in the launcher and the crew was busy sorting the crab. Jillian went to the bait table and picked up a set up before walking slowly back to the launcher. She watched as the pot was emptied and waited for Phil to tell her to go. Phil told her to start and she was in and out of the pot in only 22 seconds.

"Jillian won by 6 seconds" said Phil over the hailer.

"Shit you're fast. I guess you will be diving in and out of the pots for the rest of the season" said Freddie.

"I'm pretty sure I was going to be doing that anyway" replied Jillian.

"That's probably true" said Freddie with smile.

The rest of the string was pulled over the next 12 hours and by the time they'd gone through the gear everyone was hungry and tired.

Jillian could barely get out of her rain boots she was so sore. Josh pulled the tape off of her sweatshirts and helped her take off her the two sets of gloves. Her hands were pale and wrinkled. Josh took both in his bare hands and rubbed them to try to warm them up. Jillian smiled and pulled her hands back so she could pull off her wet sweatshirt. All the guys watched as she pulled off the sweatshirt which pulled up her other shirts and exposed her stomach and the bottom half of her bra. Jillian wrestled the sweatshirt over her head completely unaware of her impromptu strip tease. By the time she got the sweatshirt off and thrown in the washer the guys had managed to school the looks on their faces to something resembling nonchalance. Jillian walked into the house completely oblivious to what happened. She walked into her stateroom and quickly pulled out a fresh set of clothes before walking to the shower. Her progress was stopped by Jake who was standing in his underwear at the bathroom door.

"Jake, you should let her go first since she kicked your ass in the baiting competition" said Corey.

"Or you could just save water and shower together" said Freddie.

Jillian took the moment to edge closer to the bathroom door.

"What do you say?" said Jake.

"I don't think so" said Jillian.

"Then you will just have to wait your turn" said Jake.

"That's fine, as long as I get to go next" said Jillian.

Jake looked at her for a moment, any of the others would have fought him for the right to go first and yet Jillian just agreed.

"Why are you ok with me going first?" asked Jake.

"Because I want to shower sometime this century and arguing with you is just going to prolong the process" said Jillian.

Jake just looked at her with a confused expression on his face. Jillian got frustrated and pushed passed him into the bathroom deftly locking the door before turning on the shower. Jake banged on the door yelling obscenities through her entire shower. She was in and out of the shower in less than five minutes and when she unlocked the door Jake fell into the bathroom.

"Done" said Jillian walking out of the room without a backwards glance.

Jillian walked back down the hall to the stateroom. Josh was sitting on his bunk reading a magazine. Jillian put her dirty clothes in the corner and sat down heavily on her bunk.

"You know he's going to kill you in your sleep" said Josh.

"That's fine, it will put me out of my pain filled misery" said Jillian.

"Are you hurting a lot?" asked Josh.

"On a scale of 1 to 10 it's an 11" replied Jillian.

"Lets get you some medicine" said Josh.

Jillian followed Josh slowly to the galley where he pulled a huge bottle of ibuprofen off the shelf above the TV. He poured out a handful and handed them to Jillian. She looked down at the proffered medicine, took 4 and left the rest on the table. Josh grabbed the other pills and downed them.

"I guess since Jake is in the shower we should start dinner" said Josh.

Jillian walked into the galley and opened the fridge. She saw a couple of pork loins and some vegetables. Deciding she'd made a quick pork roast she pulled out what she needed and got started. Josh acted as sous chef and soon the food was in the oven. Jillian set her watch to ring in 45 minutes and laid down in the corner of the bench seat. Phil came downstairs to investigate the delicious smells wafting up to the wheelhouse, he opened the oven.

"Don't open the oven, it needs to cook for a while longer" came Jillian's muffled voice.

"Jillian?" said Phil.

When he received no response he looked suspiciously around the oven and counters trying to find out how she'd recorded her voice to start when the oven opened. He was still looking around when Josh came walking into the galley.

"What's up dad?" he said.

"How did Jillian record her voice to tell me to stay out of the oven?" asked Phil.

"Um, I'm pretty sure she didn't. She's sleeping on the bench right now" said Josh.

Phil walked over and looked at Jillian's sleeping form. He walked back over to the oven and opened the door again.

"I told you to stay out of the oven, it will done when my watch goes off. If you're hungry get a fucking snack" said Jillian.

Josh started laughing hysterically while Phil debated whether to tell Jillian that was no way to speak to the captain or open the oven again to see what she'd say next. He was saved from having to make a decision because Jake entered the room wondering what all the laughing was about.

"Hey Josh, what's so funny" asked Jake giving his brother a not so gentle elbow to the ribs.

"Jillian just told dad to stay out of the oven" said Josh.

"Sounds hilarious" said Jake sarcastically.

"It was" said Josh laughing louder.

"Why don't you make yourselves useful and set the table" said Jillian.

She still hadn't bothered to open her eyes but from her comment it was clear she was completely aware of what was going on around her. Jake and Josh complied with her wishes and pulled out the plates and silverware. Jake slammed the plates down on the table in an attempt to startle Jillian but it didn't work. Her watch timer beeped and she got up and slowly headed to the oven. Testing the roast with her finger she determined it was ready and pulled it out. She sliced it and moved the roasting pan carefully to the table. Everyone was called to dinner and dug in ravenously, they all praised Jillian for the delicious meal before they headed off to bed. According to Phil they had about 3 hours before they hit the next string and everyone was hoping to get in a little rack time. Josh and Jake did the dishes and by the time they were finished Jillian was fast asleep in her bunk.

"I was thinking of doing the sleeping bag trick to her tonight" said Jake conversationally.

"Dude, I'm exhausted. We have less than 3 hours of rack time, wait to do it another day" whined Josh.

"Fine, but I'm getting her back for stealing the shower" said Jake petulantly.

"Of course you are" said Josh.

Both boys climbed into their bunks and were asleep before their heads hit the pillow.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This chapter has a lot of technical elements. However, I've never fixed a boat so I'm sure some of the jargon is used incorrectly, but it's all in good fun. Please read and review.

Jillian was startled awake by the sound of an alarm blaring through the boat. Her first thought was where was the survival suit her second thought she needed to get to the engine room. Throwing on a sweatshirt and grabbing her tool bag she headed out towards the ready room. Jake and Josh were right behind her. She was halfway down the hallway when she heard Phil's voice over the hailer.

"Jillian, get to the engine room. I've got an engine alarm."

Jillian didn't bother getting into her rain gear she just slipped on her boots and headed out the door. She slipped and slid across the deck trying to avoid the waves crashing over the rail. Managing to get to the engine room door she opened it and slammed it shut behind her. Taking the steep ladder down she looked around trying to determine the cause of the alarm. She moved quickly, methodically checking each engine for problems. Finding the issue in the second engine she saw that a bolt had been sheered off allowing it to bounce around in the engine compartment. Jillian determined the best course of action and picked up the phone to tell Phil.

"Yeah" answered Phil.

"I need you to shut down the second engine" said Jillian.

"Are you crazy, it's blowing 50 outside and the waves are at least 30 feet" said Phil.

"You either shut it down now so I can do the repair or eventually the broken piece will shut the engine down permanently" said Jillian.

"How long is it going to take you?" asked Phil. "Because even a minute without this engine is going to be dangerous."

"Give me 30 minutes" said Jillian.

"We could be on the bottom in 30 minutes" said Phil.

"Fine. I can do it in 15 if you send someone down here to help me" said Jillian.

"I'll send Josh" said Phil.

"I don't care who you send, but send them now" said Jillian.

She waited until the engine was shut down then popped the panel giving her access to the engine itself. Pulling out her tools she set to work removing a few parts so she could reach inside. Josh came in to help and worked to hand Jillian the tools she needed. She pulled out the ruined bolt then moved herself around so she could reach her arm into the engine and replace the part. Josh watched as Jillian basically stood on the engine reaching through the tiny area to retighten the bolt. The boat was tossing around in the rough seas and Josh had to steady himself against the pipes. Jillian tried not to cry out as each shift of the boat bent and bruised the arm buried in the engine. After one particularly jarring shift she felt a burning sensation as her arm was sliced. Biting her lip against the pain she finished the repair and pulled her arm out. She secured the hatch and told Josh to tell Phil that the repair was done. The sound of the engine restarting was music to her ears. She listened for a minute or two before she determined it was working properly.

Josh and Jillian emerged from the engine room to a deck swamped with water. Jillian's teeth started to chatter as the cold seeped through the t-shirt and sweatshirt she was wearing. Josh deftly crossed the deck only turning back when he reached the door to the house. Jillian was still standing in front of the engine room door. The water washing over the side of the deck had completely frozen her.

"Jillian, get the hell off the deck" barked Phil over the hailer.

Josh turned around and watched as Jillian picked her way slowly across the deck.

"Jillian, you better hurry up, there is a huge wave coming our way" said Phil.

Jillian moved as fast as she could slipping to her knees twice before reaching Josh. He reached down and grabbed her arm. Jillian hissed with pain and felt tears well up in her eyes. Josh pulled her through the door just as the wave crested the bow.

"Wow, that was close" said Josh.

Jillian smiled weakly and stepped out of her boots. Josh removed his rain gear and boots then turned around to say something to Jillian when he noticed a huge red spot on the arm of her sweatshirt.

"Oh shit are you bleeding?" asked Josh.

"It's nothing. I got a cut while I was working on the engine" said Jillian dismissively.

"Take off your sweatshirt and let me see" said Josh.

Jillian took off her sweatshirt bringing the injury into full view. Her arm was sliced open in a very jagged looking cut. Blood oozed from the cut dripping onto the sweatshirt she held under her arm.

"I think you need stitches" said Josh.

"It's no big deal" said Jillian. "I'll wash it off and it will be fine."

"Half your arm is cut, washing it off isn't going to make a fucking difference" said Josh.

Jillian walked to the bathroom and wet a washcloth. She carefully sponged the blood off her arm trying to keep herself from crying by sheer force of will. While she was able to keep herself from crying out loud she couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. Josh grabbed the towel out of her hand and led her to the galley. He sat her down on the counter next to the sink and began to clean the wound. It was much deeper than he thought and he could only imagine the amount of pain Jillian was feeling. Jake appeared in the kitchen to start dinner.

"Hey what are you doing on the counter?" asked Jake.

"Jillian has a cut and I'm cleaning it. I think it needs stitches. What do you think?" asked Josh.

Jake inspected the cut and then looked up at Jillian's strained face.

"I think it may need stitches" said Jake.

"I'd like a second opinion" said Jillian.

"Jake was the second opinion" said Josh.

"Then I want a third opinion" said Jillian.

"Fine, lets go up and ask the captain" said Josh.

Jake helped Jillian off the counter and they walked up to the wheelhouse.

Phil was patting himself on the back for hiring Jillian. She had just managed to do a repair at sea that probably would have caused him to return to port which would have lost him at least 2 days of fishing. He looked up as he saw Jake walking into the wheelhouse.

"Hey buddy what's up?" said Phil.

"We need a third opinion" said Jake.

"On what?" asked Phil.

"Jillian hurt her arm and we think she needs stitches" said Josh.

"Come over here and let me see" said Phil.

Jillian walked over to Phil and showed him her arm.

"Jake come over here and take over. I need to look at this in better light" said Phil.

Jillian followed Phil back down to the galley. Phil set her down on the counter just as Josh had and inspected the cut.

"I'm sorry Jillian, but you are going to have to get stitches" said Phil.

"I don't want you to have to go back to town just so I can get stitches" said Jillian.

Phil looked at her for a moment trying to figure out if she was being serious.

"We'll do the stitches here on the boat" said Phil.

"What? Has anyone actually done any sort of medical training on this boat?" asked Jillian.

"We've done it before" said Phil.

"Recently?" asked Jillian.

"Jillian, I don't have some sort of resume or photos to show how I've done with other injuries" said Phil. "You need stitches so you can either let us to do it or you can do it yourself but either way a needle is going in her arm and that cut is getting sewn shut."

"Fine, you've clearly made the decision for me" said Jillian.

"I'm glad you agree. I'm going to get the kit" said Phil.

Jillian sat on the counter wondering why she agreed to come on this trip in the first place. Phil returned with the suture kit and called Josh to play nurse. Lining up the first stitch Phil sunk the needle into Jillian's flesh. Josh grimaced and squeezed the skin together so Phil could stitch the cut closed. They both stood over Jillian working together to try to make it as painless of a process as possible. She never said a word, never winced, never complained about the pain. Phil tied a knot at the end, then placed a bandage over the sutures, leaned down and dropped a kiss on it. Josh helped her down off the counter and gave her a handful of ibuprofen. Jillian walked to her room and tried to change into a new shirt. Jake walked down into the room and immediately turned around to walk back out when he saw Jillian was changing.

"Wait, I need some help" said Jillian.

"Sure" said Jake.

He walked into the room and gently removed the shirt stuck on her head. He tossed it into the clothes pile in the corner of the room. Taking the shirt from Jillian's hand he pulled it over her head then gently moved her arms through the appropriate holes. As he pulled the hem of the shirt down Jillian's body his knuckles brushed against her stomach causing her to break out in goosebumps.

"Are you cold?" asked Jake.

"A little but I don't want to put a sweatshirt on, a shirt was hard enough" said Jillian.

She walked over to her bag, pulled out some thick socks and a beanie. Jake grabbed the socks out of Jillian's hand.

"Sit down and I'll put them on for you" said Jake with a smile.

Jillian sat on her bunk while Jake sat on the floor before he lifted her feet into his lap. He massaged them a little before slipping the socks onto her feet.

Jillian slept for a few hours before heading up to the wheelhouse for her turn at watch. Phil was sitting in the captains chair when she walked up. He was on the radio talking to another captain so Jillian lit a cigarette and sat down on the bench to wait. Phil finally finished talking and turned to Jillian.

"How's he arm?" asked Phil.

"It will be fine" said Jillian.

"Come over here and let me see it" said Phil.

He examined her arm, taking care not to handle it too roughly. His fingers ran along her inner arm checking for any additional damage. His index finger felt a scar and he turned over her arm to look at it. The thin scar ran across her inner forearm in a straight line bisecting it.

"What happened here?" asked Phil.

"It was a knife" said Jillian.

"Did you do it yourself?" asked Phil concerned.

"No. Someone was trying to say I wasn't tough in basic training and I proved I was but got the scar in the process" said Jillian.

"Wow. It looks like a pretty nasty cut" said Phil running his finger over the scar.

"It was actually a really sharp knife so it was a clean cut I didn't even get stitches" explained Jillian.

"Seems like a pretty extreme way to show your toughness" said Phil.

"Yeah it was" said Jillian quietly.

"Alright, well I suppose you are here to take watch so I'm going to bed" said Phil getting up.

"Rest well" said Jillian slipping into his chair.

She sat quietly for almost an hour before the radio crackled to life.

"Cornelia Marie, this is Northwestern. Phil are you there?" said Sig's voice.

"Northwestern this is Cornelia Marie. Phil's asleep" said Jillian.

"Right. Listen I need a new manifold for one of my tank pumps. Ask Phil to drop it for me" said Sig.

"What's wrong with your pump?" asked Jillian.

"It's getting a lot of backwash" began Sig. "Wait who the hell are you?"

"I'm Jillian, the new deckhand on the Cornelia Marie" said Jillian.

"Poor Phil, I bet he's getting more than he bargained for with you. Girls on boats are always trouble" said Sig.

"I think you should wait on changing the manifold. You should be able to empty the tank by half and then reseal the threads. If it's backwashing into the tank it means the seal isn't complete. If you use the epoxy it should fix your problem without draining the entire tank" said Jillian.

"I don't know who you think you are giving me advice, but just tell Phil to drop the manifold and I'll let you get back to painting your nails" said Sig dismissively.

"Listen Captain, I assure you it will work. I will have Phil drop both the epoxy and the manifold. All I ask is that you try the epoxy first, I assure you , you won't regret it" said Jillian.

"Fine princess, whatever you say" said Sig. "Just tell Phil to drop the manifold for me."

"Yes sir" said Jillian sarcastically.

"Over and out" said Sig.

Jillian just hung up the radio angrily. The rang Phil's room and gave him Sig's message.

"Ok, when you come up on one of his buoys call Jake or Josh and have them drop the stuff for him" said Phil.

"Roger" said Jillian.

The Northwestern's pot sat off the bow and Josh and Jillian were standing at the rail. The water was calm and the stars sparkled over head. Jillian would have called it a beautiful night had it not been 5 degrees below zero.

"Ok Jillian, just throw the hook overhand as hard as you can, try to get the hook just past the line, then pull it in" explained Josh.

"Alright. I can do it" said Jillian.

She threw the hook and it fell just shy of the buoy. She pulled the hook back in and tried again and again until she finally hooked the line. She pulled the line in and Josh showed her how to place it in the block. Once the bags were on board Jillian watched the pot come up over the side. She helped Josh swing it onto the launcher then opened it, carefully attaching the waterproof bag inside. The pot was dumped back over the side and both Jillian and Josh headed in. Jillian slipped out of her rain gear and boots before struggling to get off her sweatshirt. Josh helped her to gently pull off her sweatshirt, when it was off he noticed that her bandage was soaked with blood .

"We need to change this" said Josh fingering the bandage.

"I think I may have reopened the wound moving the pot" said Jillian.

"Shit, I didn't even remember that you'd have to use both arms" said Josh. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. It doesn't hurt to badly" said Jillian.

"That is such bullshit, it must hurt like a son of a bitch" said Josh.

"Lets get this bandaged so I can go to sleep" said Jillian.

Josh unwrapped the bloody bandage and was relieved to see that none of the stitches had been pulled out. He cleaned the wound then rewrapped the bandage even going so far as to drop a gentle kiss on it just like his father had. Jillian smiled at the gesture before getting up.

"Thanks Josh" said Jillian giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Josh stood smiling stupidly in the galley for the next two minutes before snapping out of his revery and walking to the stateroom. By the time he walked in Jillian was fast asleep. Josh leaned down and pulled the covers over her tucking them in around her body. Jillian sighed in her sleep a small smile gracing her lips.

A storm blew up as the Cornelia Marie was pulling their next string of pots. The fishing was fair but the wind made everything harder. The waves crashed over the sides of the boat. Phil watched the waves like a hawk making sure to warn the crew each time a large one was about to break. His concentration was broken by the sound of Sig's voice over the radio.

"Cornelia Marie this is Northwestern. Phil are you there?"

"Yeah, Sig. What's up?" asked Phil his eyes never leaving the deck.

"Thanks for dropping that stuff for me. The epoxy worked great, didn't even have to use the extra manifold" said Sig.

"Glad to help" said Phil.

"So who's Jillian?" asked Sig.

"She's my new greenhorn and mid season engineer replacement" said Phil. "She's Walt's niece."

"Engineer?" said Sig. "Is she any good?"

"Amazing. She has tiny hands. She can fix a lot of problems without taking things apart" said Phil.

"Interesting. I'll have to see her in action one of these days" said Sig.

"You can watch her at Magone's, that's where she works when she's not out here" said Phil.

"How did you get her out here?" asked Sig.

"I'm not sure. I think she owes Walt a favor or something" said Phil. "But I'm glad she is. She fixed my engine yesterday in less than 15 minutes."

"Shit, maybe I'll trade you Edgar for her" said Sig.

"Nah, she's very green on deck. In fact I'm watching her get tossed around all over the place today" said Phil.

"Well I suppose no one can be perfect" said Sig.

"Yeah. I gotta go it's nasty out" said Phil.

"Stay safe and tell what's her name I said thanks" said Sig.

"Her name is Jillian and I'll let her know" said Phil.

"Over and Out" said Sig.

Phil went back to watching the deck. He watched Jillian wince every time she had to move her arm. He wondered how long she'd be able to work before the pain became too much. She'd already been out on deck for 7 hours and they had at least another 7 before the crew would come off deck.

Jillian was miserable, every move she made sent pain shooting down her arm. The rest of the guys were trying very hard to keep her spirits up but were failing miserably. On a run between strings everyone sat in front of the heater under the shelter of the bow. Jillian was resting her head on Freddie's shoulder listening to Josh tell a very long story about a trip to Vegas he'd taken during the summer. Phil announced the next pot was coming up and Jillian groaned before pulling herself to her feet. Freddie patted her on the back and walked to the rail.

"Hey Jills, why don't you come over here and pull back the bags. A little change of scenery might do you some good" said Jake.

Jillian assented and walked towards the rail.

"Jacob, it's blowing 50 out there and the seas are as confused as they come. Keep her away from the rail" yelled Phil over the hailer.

Jake did some elaborate deckhand sign language telling Phil she was fine. Jillian for her part kept walking towards the rail. Before she got to where Jake was standing Corey grabbed her arm pulling her to where he was standing.

"How about you learn a little about how to use the hydros" suggested Corey.

"Fine" said Jillian.

Jillian spent the next few hours with Corey learning how to work the hydros. She would come out from the overhang to help sort the crab then go back to continue her lesson. By the last two pots of the string Jillian could work the hydros unassisted. The crew came inside during the next run between strings to have a bite to eat and defrost. Jake and Josh both helped Jillian out of her raingear before taking off their own.

Jillian sat at the galley table slowly eating her mashed potatoes and beef. She'd already taken 8 ibuprofen for the pain washing them down with a couple of red bulls. There was conversation going on around her but she had no energy to listen to it. The seas were building and the liquid in the glasses on the table shifted ominously. In the wheelhouse Phil was battling with the decision to keep fishing or wait the storm out. The forecast called for gale force winds and 40 foot seas. Phil could already see the weather worsening significantly and was hesitant to send the guys back out. Their deadline loomed but it wasn't worth risking the lives of the crew. Josh walked up to the wheelhouse offering to sit in the chair while Phil got something to eat.

"I'm not hungry" was Phil's response.

"Come on, you need to eat something. Jake really outdid himself with dinner" said Josh.

"Just bring me a plate of something" said Phil feathering the throttle as the boat went down a large wave.

"Sure thing" said Josh.

Jillian returned a moment later carrying a plate of food. She set it down next to Phil then sat down on the bench.

"Do you want me to sit in the chair while you eat?" asked Jillian.

"Nah, I can eat and drive at the same time" said Phil.

Jillian smoked a cigarette as she watched Phil eat his food and drive the boat in building seas. The waves were stacking up and it seemed that the boat was only half way up a wave before the next was breaking over the bow. Phil finished eating and Jillian grabbed the plate from him.

"I'm going to check on the engine before we get to the next string. I just want to give it a quick once over to make sure everything is running well" said Jillian.

"Be careful crossing the deck. It's snotty out" said Phil.

Jillian nodded and headed downstairs.

Phil watched her progress across the shifting deck. He thought it would be funnier to watch her listing back and forth like a drunk had it not been so dangerous out. He breathed a sigh of relief as she made it to the engine room. She was down and up in 10 minutes. Phil again watched as she paused before starting her way across the deck. He was so focused on watching Jillian he didn't see the wave until it was already on the bow. The water washed over both side of the boat turning the deck into a swimming pool. When the water cleared Jillian was no where to be seen. Phil's eyes scanned the deck while he reached for the hailer.

"Get outside and find Jillian!" he yelled.

Jake, Josh, Corey and Freddie all appeared on deck in an instant. None of them were wearing raingear. Freddie was only in a t-shirt, sweats and deck boots. They spread out searching every nook and cranny of the deck. Phil watched with baited breath hoping one of them would look up and tell him they'd found her. The minutes past and the crew searched frantically for Jillian. Jake moved a few totes out of the way and found Jillian underneath one of them.

"Jillian!" he said bending down to touch her. "I FOUND HER!!"

Josh was at his side in a heartbeat. Freddie and Corey there a moment later. Phil noticed the clutch of bodies in the corner of the deck.

"Did you guys find her?" asked Phil over the hailer.

Freddie nodded.

"Is she ok?" asked Phil.

Freddie shook his head. Josh had picked her up and was carrying her into the house. The camera guy raced to open the door for him and clear a space on the floor in the galley. In the cold light of the galley everyone could see Jillian was covered in blood. Jake pulled a knife off the counter and split open her sweatshirt and t-shirt exposing her bra. Freddie carefully picked her up allowing Jake to remove the bloodied clothing.

"I can't see where the blood is coming from" said Jake.

The blood seemed to be coming from her chest and Jake realized he was going to have to cut away her bra to confirm his suspicions.

"I think it's coming from her arm" said Corey.

"All this from her arm?" asked Jake incredulously.

"She probably held it to her chest as she fell" said Corey.

Jake picked up her arm noticing that Jillian moaned quietly when he moved it. The bandage was completely soaked with blood so much so that Jake could feel his fingers getting slippery from all of it.

"God, get a towel" said Jake.

Freddie handed him a dishtowel and the moment Jake applied pressure to Jillian's arm her eyes shot open and she screamed. The scream was probably the loudest anyone had ever heard. Phil heard it in the wheelhouse and immediately rushed downstairs.

The galley was chaotic. Freddie and Corey were trying to hold Jillian down while Jake applied pressure to her arm and Josh grabbed a fresh suture kit. Jillian was in just her sweats and a bra both of which were covered in blood. Her eyes were open and she was still screaming seemingly using the original lung full of air.

"Corey, go take the wheel" barked Phil. "Freddie, let her go. Jake, get the towel off her arm. I think she's in shock."

Everyone did as Phil asked and eventually Jillian ran out of air and took a breath. Phil took advantage of the break in the scream to address her.

"Jillian, I know it hurts. But we are trying to help you" said Phil.

Jillian's eyes searched his face as if trying to glean his truthfulness. She must have seen something because she did not resume her screaming. In fact just the opposite, she sat in docile silence as Phil restitched her arm. The cut was deeper and the boat was rocking more than the first time. Phil knew it must be hurting her but she never made a sound. Jake sat next to her sponging off the blood from her body. There seemed to be a lot of blood on her, more blood than a girl her size can loose safely. When Phil was finished he got a glass of water and made Jillian drink it. He'd noticed the volume of blood loss too and knew she needed as much fluid as possible to try and replenish it.

"Jake, lets get her to bed. Someone needs to keep watch over her. She's probably going to be in and out of consciousness. If she's awake she needs to drink water as much as she will take" said Phil.

Jake picked her up and carried her to the stateroom. He laid her gently on the bed then noticed that her pants were still covered in blood. He pulled the sweats off of her and tossed them away. He smiled at her polka dot panties before covering her with a blanket. Jake dug around in her bag finally finding a pair of soft pajama pants. He slipped them up her legs and over her hips before settling onto the bed next to her. His eyes never left her prone form until her eyes fluttered open.

Jillian awoke to her whole body burning with pain. The urge to cry out was overwhelming but when she tried nothing but a whimper came out of her mouth. Someone gently pulled her into a sitting position then pressed a glass to her lips, she drank in gulps of water before the glass was empty.

"I'm glad you're awake. I was getting a little worried" said Jake quietly.

Jillian managed a weak smile before laying back down on the pillow. She'd been out for 2 hours. Jake called up to the wheelhouse to tell Phil Jillian had regained consciousness. Josh appeared in the room moments later, obviously he'd been in the wheelhouse when Jake had called.

"Hey Jillian, how are you feeling?" asked Josh.

"Terrible" replied Jillian.

"Well if it makes you feel better, you look good" said Josh.

Jillian shook her head and winced in pain. Josh's eyes focused on her head pulling back her hair until he found the source of pain, a huge goose egg behind her left ear.

"Jake, can you get her some ice. This thing is huge" said Josh.

"Roger" said Jake as he left the room.

Freddie arrived holding a gallon sized ziploc full of ice. Josh took it from him and slipped it behind Jillian's head. She winced in pain then settled back against the ice pack pillow. Josh held vigil over Jillian until the crew was called out on deck to pull pots. They still had 80 thousand pounds of crab to catch before the end of the week.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This chapter contains a lot of cussing, please be forewarned.

Phil couldn't believe he was doing this, it had been decades since he'd worked on deck and he was feeling strangely nervous. He glanced up at the wheelhouse and saw Jillian sitting in his chair looking just as nervous as he felt. He'd told the crew he and Jillian were switching places so her arm could get another day to heal. Phil hoped he would survive the shift on deck. He certainly didn't think his doctor would approve since he'd clearly been told to avoid heavy exertion. He and the guys would have a 30 pot string to haul before they jogged up the hill to the next string. Phil just kept telling himself that he only had to make it through 30 pots, it really wasn't too hard.

"Ok guys the next pot is coming up" said Jillian over the hailer.

"It's weird to see you down here with us" said Jake.

"Yeah, I think I worry about you less when you're up in the chair" said Josh.

"Listen you two, don't worry about me. I worked on deck for many years I know how to do everything" said Phil testily.

Jillian slowed up on the throttle and watched closely as Freddie threw the hook. She watched as Phil spun the pot before settling it into the launcher and swinging the door open. Everyone walked forward and started to sort the crab. Jillian watched the growing seas and the deck making sure that everyone stayed safe. The routine continued well into the night. Phil tried not to groan as he threw the hook for what seemed like the hundredth time. He'd been working for the last 8 hours and he was pretty much done. Every part of him was hurting, he felt far to old to be doing deck work. Jillian had called down to ask if Phil was ready to switch back, she was overwhelmed by the stress of keeping an eye on everyone on deck and making sure she could find the buoy bags through the driving snow.

"How many pots are left?" asked Phil.

"Um, two" replied Jillian. "But if you come in I can go down and make dinner."

"Desperate to get out of the chair?" asked Phil.

"Very" answered Jillian.

"Ok, I'm coming in" said Phil.

Jillian was just writing down the numbers from the last pot when Phil appeared in the wheelhouse. Phil had already showered and changed since he figured he would be stuck in the chair for the next few hours. As he walked over to his chair Jillian stood up and he was able to see what she was wearing.

"What are you wearing?" gasped Phil.

"Pajamas" said Jillian.

Had Phil not been so exhausted from the deck work he probably would have handled his surprise at seeing Jillian in pajama shorts and a tank top better. However he didn't.

"This wheelhouse is not a scene out of Penthouse's letters" said Phil.

"You wear pajamas up here all the time and I'm not allowed to touch your precious thermostat, to me it's hot up here" said Jillian defensively.

"Do you realize that this boat is full of guys? You can't be walking around dressed like you're ready to be taken hard and fast against the nearest wall" blurted Phil.

"You wear pajamas up here all the time, you are wearing some right now" yelled Jillian pointing to Phil's checkered pajama bottoms. "And you don't seem to be in any danger of getting taken hard and fast up against the nearest wall."

"I don't have breasts" said Phil.

Jillian gave him a look that clearly said what she thought of his reasoning and walked downstairs to the galley.

Jake had already set out chicken to defrost for dinner so Jillian set herself to working on a tasty stir fry dish. She's just set the rice on to cook when the guys walked in. Most of them walked straight to their rooms to change into dry clothes or possibly grab a shower. Jake however went straight to the kitchen to check on dinner.

"Hey Jillian, what's cooking" asked Jake.

"Chicken stir fry" answered Jillian not bothering to look up from her chopping.

Jake took the opportunity to let his eyes wander up and down Jillian's body. Her pajamas showed off her slim hips, curvy ass and amazing breasts.

"You look really hot. Were you wearing that all day?" asked Jake.

"Yes" said Jillian looking up.

She noticed that Jake was looking at her like she was the entree for dinner and he was starving.

"Aren't you cold?" asked Jake.

"No, your dad keeps it so hot upstairs that I'm just now cooling off" said Jillian.

"Oh I don't think you've gotten any cooler, you're still incredibly hot" said Jake with a smirk.

"Thanks. But I think I'm going to change" said Jillian.

"Too bad" said Jake.

Jillian walked back towards the stateroom she shared with Jake and Josh. On the walk down the hall she managed to see every single one of the rest of the crew and each of them had something to say about her outfit. Once she was back in the room she slipped on a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt. Hurrying back to the kitchen she saw that all the guys were sitting at the table with evil smiles on their faces.

"Jillian, what happened to your sexy outfit" asked Freddie.

"I got cold" deadpanned Jillian.

She walked into the kitchen and quickly tossed the chicken and vegetables into a skillet and started cooking. The entire galley started to smell like a chinese restaurant. Jillian plated up the dishes for everyone then made a special one for Phil and took it up to the wheelhouse for him.

Phil glanced up at Jillian noting that she had changed clothes and she was carrying a plate of steaming food for him. Jillian set her plate on the bench seat then set Phil's plate on the console next to him.

"Are you going to eat with me?" asked Phil.

"Yes, if it's ok with you" said Jillian.

"I always enjoy company" said Phil.

Jillian and Phil ate in companionable silence. Jillian noticed how fast Phil was eating and realized that she probably should have given him more food. When Phil finished his plate Jillian merely handed him her plate to finish.

"Eat mine, you've burned more calories than me today" said Jillian as explanation.

"Thanks, I'm starving" said Phil. "This is really delicious."

"I'm glad you like it although I suppose if I'm too good at cooking it will start to become my permanent job" said Jillian.

"I'm sure Jake enjoyed having the night off" said Phil.

Jillian's smile slipped slightly as she remembered what Jake had said to her. She realized that she probably should tell Phil he was right about what he'd said about her outfit.

"You did a good job today" said Phil conversationally.

"Thanks, but I much prefer working in the shop. Driving the boat is way too stressful. I think I may have the start of an ulcer just from today" said Jillian dramatically.

"Well, we have 12 hours before we get to the next string. Do you think your arm will be up for working on deck?" asked Phil.

"It'll probably be fine if I can keep it dry. Josh said he had some sort of plan for that" said Jillian.

"Let me take a look at it" said Phil.

Jillian slipped the hoodie over her head and Phil saw that she was still wearing the little tank top underneath it. Phil turned on the overhead light and Jillian stood next to him and thrust out her arm. Phil unwrapped the bandage and inspected the stitches. His finger traced lightly over the injured flesh checking for any oozing.

"Well Dr. Harris, how is it?" asked Jillian.

"I like it when you call me that" said Phil with a smile. "It looks fine. Bring me the bandages and I'll wrap it up."

Jillian walked down the stairs to find the bandages from the first aid kit. Josh and Jake were in the kitchen doing the dishes when Jillian walked downstairs. Both boys saw that Jillian was dressed in her little tank top again and they were enjoying the view.

"Hey Jillian looking good" said Jake.

"Thanks, do you know where the bandages are?" asked Jillian.

"Is your arm ok?" asked Josh.

"Yes, I'm just getting it rewrapped. Your dad is playing doctor" answered Jillian.

"Playing doctor? Well if you want to play with another Dr. Harris I'm available" said Jake.

Jillian just rolled her eyes and grabbed the bandages that Josh had pulled out for her and walked back to the wheelhouse. When Jillian was out of sight Josh turned to Jake.

"Dude, you need to give it a break with her" said Josh.

"What? I was just teasing her" said Jake.

"Come play doctor with me?" imitated Josh. "You sound like a bad 70's porn star."

"Shut up" said Jake lunging at Josh.

Josh deftly moved out of the way causing Jake to crash into the coffee pot cabinet. Jake barely managed to catch the pot before it hit the ground.

"Oh shit that was close" said Josh.

"No kidding" said Jake carefully replacing the pot. "Can you imagine if we broke the coffee pot."

"First of all there is no we, you would have gotten blamed for breaking it" said Josh.

"Fuck you. You started it" said Jake.

"Fine. I'm tired, we pulled pots all day and I'm beat. I'm going to check on the old man and then turn in" said Josh.

"Yeah, see if they are still playing doctor upstairs" said Jake teasingly.

Phil wrapped Jillian's arm carefully trying to avoid pulling at the stitches. He'd already cleaned it and put on the antibiotic ointment now all that was left was wrapping it up. Jillian had winced slightly when the ointment had been applied but other than that she remained stoic. Josh arrived just as Phil was finishing the bandaging.

"Hey Doc, how's the patient?" asked Josh.

"She's fine" said Phil.

"How are you feeling dad?" asked Josh his voice taking on a more concerned tone.

"To tell you the truth I'm exhausted, but I wanted to go over all the numbers before Freddie takes watch" said Phil.

Josh walked behind his dad's chair and started to kneed his shoulders. Phil winced then sighed as Josh continued to work his magic. Jillian just sat back and watched as Phil and Josh discussed the days events.

"So Jillian are you going to work on deck tomorrow or are we going to have to suffer through another day with pops?" asked Josh.

"I'll be down on deck" said Jillian. "Although I think that Phil did a wonderful job, but I didn't have to hear him all day."

"I'll have you know I didn't complain at all" said Phil.

Josh mouthed the word "pussy" to Jillian from behind Phil's back. Jillian slapped her hand over her mouth in a failed attempt to stop herself from laughing out loud.

"What did he say?" asked Phil.

"He didn't say anything" replied Jillian innocently.

"Then why are you laughing" asked Phil suspiciously.

"Because I'm insane" said Jillian. "It's degenerative, gets worse when I sit too much during the day."

"That is the lamest thing I've ever heard. But I hope Josh appreciates your attempt to keep him out of trouble" said Phil.

"Thanks, but really I didn't say anything. I think she's telling the truth about being insane" said Josh.

"I'm sure the truth will come out in the show" said Phil eyeing the producer who just nodded in response.

"Speaking of asses. How do you keep your butt from falling asleep when you are sitting in the chair all day" said Jillian.

Josh and the camera guy both almost fell down laughing. While Phil stared at Jillian a few seconds before cracking up. Jillian for her part was able to hold a straight face for a bit longer before she too started laughing.

"Oh my side hurts from laughing" cried Josh.

"I need to go to bed" said Jillian. "The insanity is getting the best of me."

"Don't go, we haven't finished talking about asses" said Phil.

Jillian turned slowly then walked over and took a seat on the bench behind Phil and Josh.

"Are you going to tell me how you keep yours from falling asleep?" asked Jillian.

"Sure" said Phil.

"Well?" prompted Jillian.

"The truth is I think I bounce my legs so much that my butt doesn't get a chance to rest on the seat long enough to actually fall asleep" said Phil.

"Interesting" said Jillian.

"How many times did your ass fall asleep?" asked Josh.

"After about two hours it went numb and never recovered" said Jillian. "But I'm sure it's because my feet don't really touch anything. When I sit in the chair my feet dangle."

"Seriously?" said Phil.

"Yep, usually when I do watch I just cross my legs in the chair, but today I just let my legs dangle because I was more concerned about watching everything" said Jillian.

"Come over here, I want to see how far your legs dangle" said Phil.

Jillian got up and walked over to the vacant captain's chair and sat down. Phil and Josh looked down at Jillian's dangling legs.

"You look like a little kid in that huge chair" commented Phil.

Jillian just crossed her legs and throttled the engine slightly to help the boat crest a wave.

"I think she looks sexy at the helm of the boat" said Josh.

"Oh yeah, you should have seen her earlier when she was wearing her pajamas up here. It was straight out of a penthouse letter" said Phil.

"I saw her in the pajamas" said Josh.

"But you didn't get the full effect of her biting the pencil and feathering the throttle at the same time. She looked like a naughty captain who needed a spanking" said Phil.

"I'd give her a spanking" said Josh.

"Hey happy spankers, I'm still in the room" said Jillian angrily.

"We know you are" said Phil simply.

Freddie appeared in the wheelhouse just in time to see Jillian get out of the chair and deliver a fiendishly hard slap to Phil's arm and one to the back of Josh's head.

"Hey, I didn't do anything. Don't hit me" said Freddie holding his arms up.

"Yet" said Jillian. "You haven't done anything yet."

She walked down the stairs and out of the wheelhouse leaving three men staring at her wake.

"Wow, she's pissed at you guys" said Freddie.

"It was worth it" said Phil.

"Definitely" agreed Josh.

"Alright Freddie, thanks for taking over I'm going to get some rest" said Phil.

"Yeah man, you did ok out there today" said Freddie clapping Phil on the back.

The moment Freddie touched Phil's back he winced as the muscles in his back protested the contact.

"Josh, I'm going to need another massage" said Phil.

"You shouldn't have gotten Jillian so mad, she does some great pressure point massages. Helped me with a sore shoulder a few days ago" said Freddie.

"Shit. Maybe she'll take pity on me" said Phil.

"You can always threaten her with another day in the chair" said Josh.

Phil nodded and walked downstairs thinking how he should approach Jillian about giving him a massage. He hoped she was still awake.

Phil walked down the hallway with Josh as they got closer to the stateroom they heard moaning. Phil and Josh shared a look then quickly swung open the door fully expecting to see Jillian and Jake in flagrante delecto. The only thing they did see was Jillian sitting on the floor next to Josh's bed massaging Jake's hand.

"What are you two doing in here?" asked Phil.

"She's making me feel so good" moaned Jake into the pillow his face was resting on.

"It's reflexology" said Jillian.

"Do me next" chirped Josh.

He moved onto the floor next to Jillian and thrust her hand into her lap.

"Fuck off Josh, let her finish with my hand first" said Jake.

"I'll be done in a minute" said Jillian patiently.

She continued to press and massage Jake's hand, he moaned softly until he finally succumbed to sleep. Jillian tucked his arm under the pillow where his head was resting before picking up Josh's hand. Settling it in her lap she inspected it tracing the lines on his palm and sliding her fingers in between his. Josh's breath caught in his throat as she pressed on the first pressure point. Intense pain seemed to bloom for a moment then completely recede into something lingering on the edges of relaxation. Jillian methodically moved through all the pressure points on Josh's hand before slipping to the next one. By the time she was finished 20 minutes had passed and Josh was almost asleep.

"That was amazing" said Josh sleepily.

Jillian just nodded then pulled Josh to his feet.

"I think you'll have to sleep in Jake's bunk unless you want to pick him up and move him.

"He's fine where he is, it's fine if we switch for one night" said Josh.

"Where did you learn that?" asked Phil.

He'd taken a seat on Jillian's bed and keenly watched the proceedings. Jillian was surprised Phil was still in the room. She'd been so focused on the massages that she'd completely forgotten he was there.

"I learned from my chiropractor, it's not really considered a science more of a type of touch therapy" said Jillian.

"Will you do me next?" asked Phil.

"I suppose" said Jillian. "Do you want to move to your room, so when you fall asleep you will be in your own bed?"

"If you insist" said Phil.

Jillian just shrugged and held out her hand. As she helped to lever Phil out of the bunk she noticed that he was stiff and seemed to be suffering from more than a few muscle aches. She really wasn't surprised considering the amount of work he'd done on deck.

The pair entered Phil's stateroom. Jillian's first impression was that it was surprisingly messy for a guy who demanded that she keep everything neat in the wheelhouse. Phil grimaced as he saw the state of the room, it was a disaster. Clothes were strewn about on the floor, dvd's falling out of the cabinet and the bed was unmade.

"Why don't you lie down and I'll start with your feet" said Jillian.

"My feet?" asked Phil.

"Yep, reflexology is the belief that certain pressure points on the feet, hands and ears can help to relieve other symptoms in the body" said Jillian.

Phil looked slightly concerned about Jillian touching his feet.

"Trust me it will feel good" said Jillian.

"Ok" said Phil laying face down on his bed.

Jillian moved a pile of clothes and knelt down on the floor at the foot of the bed. She grasped Phil's foot and tried to move it into her lap, but the angle was wrong. Sighing she moved onto the bed sitting between his legs she nestled Phil's foot into her lap. Starting with the most basic pressure points she waited until she felt Phil start to moan quietly before moving on to the next foot. She could still tell that he was in some pain so she climbed on top of him and decided to move her massage to his shoulders. Phil was surprised to feel Jillian seat herself on top of his lower back but loved the feeling of her massaging his tired shoulders. Her hands were surprisingly strong and as she kneaded the abused muscles he felt the tension melt away.

"God that feels amazing" sighed Phil.

"I'm glad, you have a lot of tense muscles" said Jillian. "Possibly from lack of use."

Phil just grunted in response. Jillian moved down settling herself on top of Phil's upper thighs then she started to massage his lower back moving down to just above his butt. In the course of the massage Phil shirt had moved up slightly and a small portion of his lower back was exposed. As Jillian's hands massaged the exposed portion of Phil's skin he broke out in goosebumps. Phil reveled in the feel of her soft hands on his skin, he couldn't believe how great he felt. Jillian continued to move down his body skipping over his butt and moving to the tops of his thighs then down his legs. She moved back up and massaged both his arms before massaging his neck and ears. By the time Jillian was finished Phil was a relaxed pile of jelly. She climbed off of him and quietly closed the door making sure to flip the light off on the way out. Jillian walked tiredly back to her own room and collapsed on the bed falling into a deep sleep.

Jillian woke up for her turn at watch hours later. As she walked up to the wheelhouse she poured herself a cup of coffee and grabbed an apple. Her turn at watch was uneventful and by the time Corey took over for her the boat was almost to their northern string. Jake was cooking in the kitchen when Jillian walked downstairs. She refilled her coffee and then offered to help. Jake handed her the carton of eggs and a bowl. Jillian broke all two dozen eggs into the bowl before whipping them with a fork. Jake poured the eggs into the pan and stirred them slowly turning them into scrambled eggs. Jillian walked back to her room and changed clothes. Josh was still asleep so Jillian shook his shoulder slightly telling him breakfast was probably ready.

"Morning Jillian, thanks for waking me up for breakfast" said Josh sleepily.

"Well you don't want to miss out on it, I cracked the eggs" said Jillian with a smile.

Josh and Jillian slid into their seats at the galley table just before Jake set the food out. Phil arrived a moment later looking relaxed and happy.

"Morning everyone, ready for another day on the bearing sea" he chirped.

Everyone at the table looked at Phil in shock, he certainly hadn't been this chipper on the boat...ever.

"What's up with you?" asked Josh.

"I got a great massage last night" said Phil.

"She's amazing isn't she" said Josh knowingly.

"Very" said Phil.

"Yeah, well the massages are a two way street" said Jillian.

"What does that mean?" asked Phil.

"It means we have to give her massages too" answered Jake.

"Oh, well that doesn't sound so bad" said Phil with a smirk.

A few hours later the boat had reached their northern string the ice pack was moving down and Phil wanted to get whatever crab was in the pots then move to safer grounds. That meant the crew was going to pull the pots, sort the crabs and stack them on deck in freezing temperatures. Phil made sure they had a few minutes in between pots to warm up in front of the heaters or grab something warm to drink. Jake had made chili and everyone had taken a quick break to grab a bowl. Josh had managed to wrap Jillian's arm in plastic wrap then in duct tape in an effort to keep it dry. Despite the oddness of the idea it seemed to be doing the trick. The first of the 80 pots in this northern string were packed with good clean crab. If the numbers held through the majority of the string this would be enough to plug the boat. Phil watched the crew hoping the ice would hold off long enough for the gear to get hauled and stacked. He could already see the spray freezing on the rails. The crew worked through the night and came in for a quick breakfast the next day before busting ice for 2 hours so they could continue hauling. It was a marathon of pain and by the time all 80 pots were on board the crew had worked for almost 48 hours straight. Phil turned the boat towards St. Paul and called the crew off deck. Jillian walked inside and immediately felt her snot start to defrost, she had no idea how much was dripping out of her nose since she lost feeling in her face hours ago. She had no idea crabbing would be so hard, she'd watched the sun rise and set twice in one shift on deck. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone to the bathroom or when she'd felt warm. Now inside the ready room she felt her body start to defrost and enter the pinpricking phase. She groaned as she pulled off her rain gear and hoodie. Next she pulled off her fleece and her long underwear shirt until she was left in just a t-shirt. Stepping out of her boots and two pairs of pants she finally went inside wearing sweats, a t-shirt and a pair of socks.

Phil was in the kitchen whipping up dinner. He watched as the crew piled in through the door each heading to their staterooms to get changed. Jillian was the last one in and instead of following the others she walked towards the kitchen.

"Hey Jillian, how are you feeling?" asked Phil.

"Rough. Will you do me a favor and cut this tape off my arm" said Jillian.

"You did a great job out there" said Phil. "How did the arm hold up?"

"The arm hurt for a while then the rest of my body caught up" said Jillian tiredly.

"I know the feeling" said Phil.

He pulled out the kitchen shears and carefully sliced the tape away from her arm. Peeling back the plastic wrap Jillian's wound was clean and dry. Phil let out a sigh of relief and looked up at Jillian, her eyes were tightly closed.

"It looks fine" said Phil.

"Good, I was a little worried" said Jillian looking at her arm.

Once Jillian finished inspecting her arm she finally noticed the huge mess in the kitchen.

"What did you make for dinner?" asked Jillian. "It smells good."

"Pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans and salad" said Phil.

"Wow, sounds like quite a spread. I know we are all starving" said Jillian.

"Why don't you get cleaned up. I'll save you a plate if I think the guys are going to eat all the food" said Phil.

"Ok, thanks" said Jillian.

She walked down the hall and into the stateroom. She took a hot shower and changed clothes emerging into the galley when the guys were almost done eating. Sliding into her seat Phil placed her plate in front of her. Jillian dug in barely taking breaths in between bites. Her only thoughts were to eat so she could go to bed. Phil pulled out the tub of ice cream and a bag of chocolate chip cookies and threw them on the table. The crew fell on them like a pack of wolves. Jillian for her part just sat back and let the guys eat the dessert, she was full and ready for bed. Her head was already feeling heavy so she let it fall onto Josh's shoulder. Josh looked down at Jillian's sleeping face he took a spoonful of his ice cream and held it up to her lips. Jillian obediently opened her mouth and ate the offered bite. Her eyes had remained closed through the whole exchange.

"Alright, I think Jillian is ready for bed" said Phil.

"I'll carry her" volunteered Freddie.

He walked out from the other side of the table and easily picked up Jillian and carried her to the stateroom. Jake followed Freddie into the room and turned down the bed so Jillian would end up under the covers. Once she was tucked in snugly Freddie and Jake walked back to the galley closing the door behind them.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews they are like candy to me. This chapter contains cussing and some slight adult situations, please consider yourself warned.

Jillian woke up hours later feeling like she'd been hit by a truck. She attempted to roll over and her entire body protested. The movement drew a loud moan from her mouth. The moan was loud enough to wake Josh who immediately came over to see if she was ok.

"Jillian, are you ok?" he asked quietly.

"Everything hurts" said Jillian.

"Did you take any medicine before you went for bed?" asked Josh.

"No" muttered Jillian.

"Ok, let me get some for you" said Josh.

He left the room and quickly returned with a handful or pills and a bottle of water. Josh helped her sit up then handed her the medicine and water. Jillian drank down the pills and laid back down.

"Give them a little while to work and I promise you will feel better" said Josh.

Jillian kicked off the blankets covering her and sighed.

"This job is a lot more painful than I expected" she said conversationally.

"We spent 2 straight days out on deck, it's not surprising that you're hurting. I'm hurting too" said Josh. "Do you want me to tuck you in?"

"No, it's too hot in here. If my arms didn't hurt so much I'd take off this sweatshirt" said Jillian.

"I'll help you" said Josh.

He pulled her into a sitting position then moved his hands to the hem of the sweatshirt. Josh pulled it up taking the t-shirt underneath with it exposing her stomach, he stopped just after he reached the bottom of her breasts. He quickly moved his hand under her shirt grabbing it and pulling it back down. In the process his hands brushed against her stomach.

"God, your hands are freezing" cried Jillian.

"Sorry, but I think it's cold in here" said Josh.

"You are certainly your father's son" said Jillian.

"Well you are toasty warm" said Josh sliding his hands over her stomach trying to warm them up.

"If you want to warm your hands put them in my sweatshirt" said Jillian.

"But you're so much warmer and softer" said Josh.

"Stop, you're giving me goosebumps" said Jillian.

"You think my hands are cold you should feel my nose" said Josh.

Jillian reached up and set her fingers against Josh's nose, he was right it was significantly colder than his hands. Her fingers moved around his face feeling his cheeks and eventually his ears, they were all cold.

"You should go back to bed before you start to freeze" said Jillian. "Thanks for your help."

"You seem to be feeling better" noted Josh.

"I am, in fact I think I'm ready to get up" said Jillian.

"Better you than me, I'm going back to bed. I'll see you later" said Josh returning to his bunk.

"Sleep tight" said Jillian.

After getting herself a cup of coffee Jillian stiffly climbed the stairs to the wheelhouse. As she walked into the room she saw that Phil was back in the chair driving the boat. He was on the radio talking and gesticulating wildly. Jillian sat down in the port side chair and grabbed the pack of cigarettes lighting one and taking a long drag. Phil finished his radio chat and turned to the camera going into a long and curse filled rant about the harbor being iced in. Jillian listened with rapt attention to Phil explain the very real possibility that they would miss their offload date unless they could break through the ice and get into the harbor. Sig had been on the radio and had told Phil he'd been outside the harbor for 2 days already and it seemed like there was no time estimate of when the harbor would reopen. Looking out the windows of the wheelhouse the seas were building and Jillian could see the pots on deck shifting despite how tightly they had been tied down.

"Phil, are we going to drop the pots?" asked Jillian.

Phil jumped when he heard her voice, he hadn't even realized that she was in the room. He looked out at the pots on deck and saw what had her concerned. The weather was getting worse and the waves crashing onto the boat's deck was causing the pots to move a little on deck.

"What are you doing up?" asked Phil.

"The pain of trying to roll over woke me up" said Jillian. "What about the pots?"

"I really wanted to give you guys a rest but if the harbor is clogged with ice we have a little time to drop the pots" said Phil.

"I'm more worried about damage to the boat, those pots are shifting" said Jillian pointing out the window.

"Fine, go get everyone up. We'll take a bit of a detour and drop these pots" said Phil.

"Roger" said Jillian.

Jillian walked downstairs and into the galley. If she was going to be responsible for waking everyone up to drop pots she decided that she should at least have breakfast waiting. She grabbed a few boxes of muffin mix from the dry goods area and whipped up 3 dozen blueberry muffins. Once breakfast was on the table she went into Freddie and Corey's room to wake them up.

"Hey guys, we are going to drop the pots on board before we go in for the offload" said Jillian into the dark room.

"What? We have an offload date in two days" said Freddie.

"I know, but the harbor is iced in and the weather is getting bad. We need to get the pots off the boat because they are already being tossed around" said Jillian.

"God, I'm tired" said Corey sitting up.

"I made muffins" said Jillian.

"Well that makes getting up a little easier" said Freddie. "But even muffins aren't going to help you get Jake and Josh up."

"I guess I should start now" said Jillian with a sigh.

Opening the door of the stateroom and saw that both Jake and Josh were still sound asleep. Deciding that Josh would probably be easier to wake she knelt down next to his bunk and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Josh, it's time to wake up" said Jillian.

"Why? Are we in St. Paul?" asked Josh sleepily.

"No, we need to get the pots off the deck. The weather is getting crappy" explained Jillian.

"God, can't we just go to St. Paul and have a drink" whined Josh.

"I'm sorry. I made muffins and I'll give you a massage when we're all done" said Jillian.

"That's enough for me" said Jake from the top bunk.

He hopped down, put on his sweatshirt and headed out the door. Jillian's eyes were wide in surprise, she never thought Jake would be easier to get out of bed than Josh. Her thoughts were impeded by Josh grabbing her arm and trying to drag her into his bunk.

"How about we just stay in bed together and keep each other warm" said Josh.

"Come on Josh, the sooner we get this done the sooner you get to go back to sleep" begged Jillian.

"I like it when you beg" said Josh.

Jillian slapped Josh hard on the thigh dangerously close to hitting his most precious resource.

"Get up or next time I won't miss" threatened Jillian.

"Ok, don't hurt me" said Josh.

Jillian walked into the galley grabbed a couple of muffins and some coffee before walking to the ready room and suiting up. Josh appeared in the ready room just in time to help Jillian into her rain jacket.

The crew walked out into a severe arctic storm the snow was blowing sideways and the wind was roaring. The pots were already covered with ice and the rope ties were frozen solid. Jillian worked hard with Jake trying to untie the pots, she didn't know how she got volunteered to help Jake on the stack but there she was. She was wearing the lifejacket and was trying to keep herself steady by sheer force of will. She knelt down across from Jake trying to untie the pot while the waves were crashing across the bow pelting them with spray. Finally getting the knot loose she put the rope around her neck and then stood up to guide the crane to the pot. Jake watched her like a hawk making sure that Jillian was safe on the stack. He wasn't the only one, Phil was going cross eyed trying to watch Jillian and the other guys down on deck.

"Watch out guys we've got a pretty big wave coming up" announced Phil.

Jillian looked up and saw the wave coming. She knelt down slipping her hand under the crossbar of the pot and holding on as tight as she could. She saw Jake stand up and move towards her. The wave hit, Jake started to loose his balance and like a shot Jillian reached out grabbing his wrist and pulling him to her. They clung to each other until the wave had washed over them. Jillian and Jake looked up at each other and started to laugh they were both soaking wet but very happy to be alive.

"Oh shit, Jillian are you ok?" asked Jake.

"I'm fine. I think. At least all my pieces are still here" answered Jillian patting herself.

"Jake, is she ok?" asked Phil over the hailer.

Jake and Jillian both gave Phil a thumbs up. Phil breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Guys, lets get these pots off asap" said Phil.

Jillian and Jake worked as fast as they could while being wary of Phil's wave announcements. Jillian switched places with Josh after the first 40 pots and took over bait duty. Getting in and out of the pots was still hard for her but not having the extra job of sorting the crab out of the pot made the baiting go faster. The crew managed the impossible, they got all 80 pots into the water in just under 20 hours. Phil turned the boat to St. Paul and the crew secured the deck before they headed inside.

Jake stood over the stove mashing potatoes, cream and butter together in a bowl. Jillian was massaging Josh's hand at the galley table and listing the reasons she loved mashed potatoes.

"They are the perfect accompaniment to any roasted dish" said Jillian happily.

"Wow, that was an impressive list" said Jake over his shoulder. "I'd swear you worked for the mashed potato people."

"What mashed potato people? Like Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head?" asked Jillian.

"Sure" said Jake with a laugh.

"I don't think Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head like mashed potatoes, in fact they would probably be very against them" added Josh.

"That's probably a good point" said Jillian with a giggle. "I can just see Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head chaining themselves to the potato bin at the grocery store calling the idea of eating potatoes barbaric."

"What the hell are you guys laughing about?" asked Freddie as he walked into the galley.

"Potatoes" answered Jake.

"You guys are so weird" said Freddie shaking his head.

"Tell Corey dinner is ready" said Jake pulling the roast beef out of the oven.

The crew dug into dinner with gusto. Jake made sure that the mashed potatoes were right in front of Jillian. Josh finished first and headed up to the wheelhouse to take over so Phil could come down and eat. Phil arrived and slid into Josh's vacant seat.

"Jillian, pass me the potatoes" said Phil.

Jillian gave him a searching look then reluctantly passed the bowl. Phil served himself and was about to put the bowl on the table when he realized that Jillian still had her hands out waiting for him to hand it back to her.

"What's the deal Jillian?" asked Phil suspiciously.

"Nothing, I like mashed potatoes" replied Jillian wiggling her fingers.

Phil held onto the bowl and gave her a searching look before setting it down away from Jillian.

"Why do you like them so much?" asked Phil.

"Don't get her started. I had to listen to her talk about them for the last hour. Please take pity on me" said Freddie clutching his heart dramatically.

"An hour?" said Phil in disbelief.

"It's a great food, almost perfect" said Jillian dreamily.

"You need to get more sleep or something" said Phil.

"I definitely need more of something" said Jillian laughing.

"I can give you whatever something you need" volunteered Jake.

Jillian rolled her eyes then reached over Phil and grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes and sat back down.

"Hey, I'm not done with those yet" said Phil reaching for the bowl.

"Too slow" said Jillian climbing over Freddie and Jake with the bowl in her hand.

"Fine, take them you mashed potato freak" said Phil.

Jillian stuck out her tongue and took the stairs two at a time up to the wheelhouse.

Phil finished his dinner and returned to the wheelhouse to find Jillian sitting in his chair eating her bowl of mashed potatoes while driving the boat.

"Where's Josh?" asked Phil.

"I dipped him in the mashed potatoes and ate him" said Jillian.

"I wouldn't doubt it" said Phil. "I hope you didn't get potatoes all over up here."

"Not a spud was spilled" said Jillian with a giggle.

"You are completely goofy this evening" said Phil.

"It's this boat. I haven't been on stable ground for weeks. All this swaying is damaging my brain" said Jillian.

Phil just nodded sagely, grabbed the bowl from Jillian and walked back to the galley. The radio crackled to life and Jillian turned her attention to the voice.

"Cornelia Marie this is Northwestern. Phil you there? It's Sig."

"This is Cornelia Marie, Jillian speaking" she replied.

"Oh hey Jillian" said Sig.

"Phil will be back in a moment I hope" said Jillian.

"Hey, just tell him the storm is blowing the ice out of the harbor, it's open if he's in the neighborhood and wants to head in" said Sig.

"I'll let him know, I'm sure he will be ecstatic" said Jillian.

"We will probably be in town at the same time, do you think you could take a look at something for us? It's got Norman and Edgar stumped" said Sig.

"Sure. I'll come over when we get in" replied Jillian.

"Roger. Northwestern over and out" said Sig.

Jillian hung up the radio and called Phil's stateroom on the boat phone.

"Yeah" answered Phil.

"I just talked to Sig, he said the storm has blown the ice out of the harbor and it's open" said Jillian.

"Great news. We are already on course to the harbor, but you can throttle up so we can get there quicker" said Phil.

"Are you coming back or am I taking my watch right now?" asked Jillian.

"Corey will be up in a minute, keep your pants on" said Phil.

"Too late they're already off" replied Jillian before hanging up the phone.

"What's already off?" asked Corey as he walked into the wheelhouse.

"Nothing. I'm just teasing Phil" said Jillian with a smile.

"That's dangerous ground, he has no problem retaliating" warned Corey.

"But it's so much fun" said Jillian in a sing song voice.

Corey smiled and slid into the captain's chair. He looked down and noticed a huge glob of mashed potatoes on the floor.

"Hey Jilly, you spilled some mashed potatoes over here" said Corey.

"Seriously?" asked Jillian.

"Yep" said Corey.

"Crap" replied Jillian.

She moved onto her hands and knees scooping the mess up in her hand. Corey lifted his feet up to give her more room to maneuver. Phil appeared a moment later his eyes scanning the room for something.

"Hey boss" said Corey.

"Hey, where's Jillian?" asked Phil.

"Not sure, why?" asked Corey.

"When you saw her was she wearing pants?" asked Phil.

"What?" asked Corey stifling a laugh.

"Never mind" said Phil abruptly turning around and heading back to the galley.

Jillian crawled out from under the chair and stood up. Smoothing her hair down she dropped the wad of potatoes in a tissue and tossed it into the trash can.

"I think I'm going to check on the engines" said Jillian. "But if you see Phil again tell him I was definitely not wearing pants."

"I'll let him know" said Corey with a smile.

Jillian slowly walked down the stairs keeping an eye and an ear out for any movement. She made it to the ready room and quickly shrugged on her gear before carefully crossing the deck into the engine room.

Meanwhile Phil was searching the boat top to bottom looking for Jillian. Never had the Cornelia Marie seemed so large. He thought about asking for Jake and Josh's help but tossed the thought away, he didn't want to have to explain why he wanted her. Phil's annoyance level grew with each step he took.

"Mother Fucker, it's my boat. I should be able to find her" growled Phil angrily.

There was only one more place to look and he didn't really want to go outside in the freezing cold to see if she was hiding in a bait bin or something. Sighing he walked back up to the wheelhouse to ask Corey if he'd seen her yet.

"Corey, have you seen Jillian?" asked Phil.

"Yes, and in answer to your earlier question she was definitely not wearing pants" said Corey managing a straight face.

"Are you serious? She's walking around the boat with no pants on? I swear to God I'm going to kill her when I find her" said Phil.

"Are you playing some sort of a game with her?" asked Corey.

"It's hide and seek only she doesn't know we're playing" said Phil.

Just then Corey noticed movement on the deck and saw Jillian walking back from the engine room. Phil had lit a cigarette and was ranting to the camera why girls and boats never mixed so he didn't see her. Corey decided that if anyone needed a heads up it was Jillian.

"Hey Phil, can you take over for a minute. I need to hit the head" said Corey.

"Yeah sure" said Phil.

They quickly switched seats and Corey headed downstairs to find Jillian.

Corey caught her just before she slammed the outside door. He managed to prevent her from slamming the door and quickly pulled her into the hallway.

"Hey, Phil is spitting mad at you. I guess he's been searching the boat for you for the past hour or so" said Corey.

"What? Why?" asked Jillian.

"Who knows, listen I suggest you find a nice place to hide" said Corey.

"Thanks for the heads up" said Jillian.

"No problem. Don't make me regret helping you" said Corey seriously.

"I won't say anything even under penalty of torture" said Jillian.

"Torture will probably be involved" said Corey seriously.

"I didn't do anything" said Jillian.

"Crap, I need to get back before Phil gets suspicious. I'll see you later, hopefully you'll still be in one piece" said Corey.

Corey walked back towards the wheelhouse stairs leaving Jillian to contemplate the best place to hide. Deciding that sometimes the best place to hide was in plain sight she took off down the hall.

Phil relinquished the chair back to Corey but stayed in the wheelhouse for a while longer going over the numbers and calculating the estimated arrival time in St. Paul. He could see that the storm was worsening and expected a pretty rough night weather wise. The weather was almost enough to take his mind off Jillian. Putting away the paperwork he walked wearily downstairs to the galley. Once there Phil poured himself a glass of water and grabbed a muffin off the plate on the counter. The muffin was enough to remind him that he had a girl that needed a spanking. He finished his snack and placed the glass in the sink before deciding where to look next. He donned his raingear and headed out in the driving snow to check the engine room. A disgruntled Phil walked back across the deck, he'd checked the engine room from top to bottom and found nothing. He'd even checked the bait freezers and the bins. He was pleased at how secure the stuff on the deck was, he made a mental note to thank the crew during the offload. Stripping off his rain gear he hung them back up on the captain's hook and walked down the hallway. Deciding that he would check the staterooms one last time he popped his head into the room Freddie and Corey shared. Freddie was fast asleep on his bunk but other than him the room was empty. Phil walked by the other room and saw that both Jake and Josh were up watching a movie.

"Hey, either of you seen Jillian?" asked Phil.

"Not since she was eating that bowl of potatoes in the wheelhouse" replied Josh.

"I thought I saw her walk down the hall a while ago" said Jake.

"How long ago?" pressed Phil.

"I don't know, a while. Why?" asked Jake.

"Just wondering" said Phil trying to sound casual.

"Seriously dad it's a boat, she couldn't have gone far. What do you need her for?" asked Jake.

"I just want to make sure she's ok" lied Phil.

"Why don't you ever check on us like that?" asked Josh giving Phil his best puppy dog eyes.

"I do, in fact I just did. I'm glad to see you are both fine" said Phil.

Walking back into the hallway he contemplated checking the galley again. Mentally calculating if Jillian was small enough to crawl into one of the cabinets. Shaking his head and questioning his sanity he decided to go to bed.

Phil walked into his room noting that the lights were already off. He flipped the switch and kicked off his slippers. Lifting his eyes to the bed he saw Jillian fast asleep on his pillows. Jillian had decided that Phil's room would be the last place he'd check and had settled down to wait for him. Eventually she'd laid down, snuggling into the pillows that smelled of cigarette smoke and Phil's shampoo the comforting smell and warmth of the room was enough to pull her into sleep. Phil stared dumbstruck at his bed, he'd searched the boat for hours trying to find the little minx and she was in his bed the entire time. He walked over to the bed and sat down next to Jillian. She was completely outside the blankets wearing only a t-shirt and pajama pants. Phil allowed his hand to drift to her face he pushed back a lock of her hair revealing her sleeping face. Jillian smiled slightly as his fingers touched her forehead. Phil studied Jillian's for a moment, she was laying on her side one of her hands curled into a small fist next to her cheek, she looked so tiny in his bed. In sleep her face looked like it belonged to a young child, it was free of expression and completely unlined. In that moment Jillian rolled over letting out a soft moan as she did so. Now she had her back to Phil. During the turn her shirt had moved revealing a wide expanse of her back. Without a thought Phil ran his fingers across the exposed skin.

"If you are going to touch me it better be to give me a massage" said Jillian sleepily.

"A massage? You are lucky I'm not going to give you the lash for all the trouble you put me through" said Phil.

"I didn't do anything to you. I didn't know you were looking for me" said Jillian starting to roll over to face him.

Phil's hand on her back prevented her from rolling. He pushed her so she was laying flat on her stomach. Shifting positions Phil reached over and began rubbing her shoulders.

"Phil, that feels so good" moaned Jillian.

Phil smiled to himself it had been a while since anyone had moaned his name. It was certainly a sound he wouldn't mind hearing over and over again. His hands moved down massaging her back muscles eliciting more moans. When he reached her lower back he rubbed at the exposed skin making sure to run his fingers below the waist of her pants. With his thumbs he rubbed at the dimples above her ass cheeks. This made Jillian arch her back thrusting her butt into Phil's hands. Taking the hint Phil rubbed her cheeks, each hand was large enough to completely cover each cheek.

"You have big hands" moaned Jillian.

"I think you just have a small ass" said Phil.

"That feels great, don't stop" begged Jillian.

Phil had no plans of stopping anytime soon, the whole massage was turning into some sort fantasy come to life. Every moan and groan from Jillian made Phil a little harder. Letting go of her butt he moved down and massaged her legs and finally her feet. Jillian was breathing steadily when Phil finished his massage and for a moment he thought she was asleep. But as soon as he took his hands off her body she slowly sat up.

"Thank you for a wonderful massage" said Jillian sleepily.

She stood up and placed a small kiss on Phil's cheek then walked out of his room. Phil wanted to tell her not to go that he wanted her to stay with him but he didn't. He changed into a pair of soft pajama pants noting that he was sporting a good sized erection. Laying down on his bed he could smell Jillian all around him. He closed his eyes remembering the feel of her skin under his hands and imagining what that same skin would feel like up against his naked body. It only took him a few minutes to cum. Feeling slightly dazed he cleaned up before falling asleep clutching his pillow in his arms.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you again for all the reviews.

Jillian slept for a few hours before taking over wheel watch from Jake. He stayed with her for a few minutes making sure she was actually awake before going back downstairs. Jillian sipped at her coffee and jogged the boat through the driving snow. Visibility was shot to hell and she hoped there wasn't anything to run over in this part of the ocean. Day had just started to break and the added light did little to help visibility. The massage from Phil had relaxed Jillian and helped her to sleep soundly until it was her turn at watch. She was excited to make it to St. Paul for the offload, dry land was just what she needed. The sun was cresting the horizon and according to the instruments the boat was less than an hour from the harbor. Although Jillian had been on boats during their offloads she'd never actually been involved in one as a deck hand. She wondered what kind of things she'd be responsible for, hopefully nothing that involved getting wet. Phil appeared in the wheelhouse just after the harbor came into view. Jillian happily surrendered the chair to him and moved to sit on the bench.

"How was your watch?" asked Phil.

"It was fine. I think the storm seems to be passing but I can't really be too sure" said Jillian.

"I don't care what the storm does as long as we make it in time for the offload" said Phil.

He called the processor and told them the boat was almost to the harbor. The processor was ready for the delivery and told Phil he'd made it in on time.

"Jillian, go get the guys. We will be in to tie up in a few minutes" said Phil.

"Roger" replied Jillian as she got up.

The Cornelia Marie pulled up to the dock. Jillian tossed the buoy bags over the side to protect the boat from rubbing against the dock. Once the lines were tied and the boat was secured the cover for the first tank was lifted. Jillian looked down at all the crabs climbing over each other, she thought they looked like bugs.

"You want to climb in and take a picture with them?" asked Josh.

"No" said a horrified Jillian.

"Why not, it's a cool picture. We all have one" said Jake.

"No thanks, they look like bugs" said Jillian.

"Really? To me they look like dollar signs" said Jake.

"So what do we do during the offload?" asked Jillian.

"We make sure to write down the weight of each of the brailers" said Josh.

"And once they finish one tank we wash it out" added Jake.

"Where do we write down the weights?" asked Jillian.

"The clipboard" said Josh looking around. "It's probably still up in the wheelhouse."

"I'll get it" said Jillian.

She walked up the outside steps to the wheelhouse and grabbed the clipboard from Phil before returning to the deck. The next few hours were spent writing down the numbers and rinsing out the tanks. Over halfway through the offload Phil called Jillian to the wheelhouse.

"What's up?" asked Jillian.

"Sig called, they are done with their offload so get cleaned up and head over to the Northwestern to take care of whatever they need you for" said Phil.

"Ok, I'll see you later then" said Jillian.

Jillian showered, slipped on a pair of jeans, a v-neck t-shirt and a hoodie then headed out. She told the rest of the crew where she was headed then hopped over the rail and onto the dock.

Sig sat in the wheelhouse of the Northwestern looking at the offload numbers and deciding when he was going to head back to the grounds. Edgar and Norman were sitting in the wheelhouse with him adding their two cents to his musings.

"Hey, who's the girl?" asked Norman pointing out the window.

"Probably another one of Junior's girlfriend" said Edgar with a laugh.

A few seasons ago Jake's girlfriend had flown all the way to St. Paul to surprise Jake at an offload. The entire Northwestern crew decided the move was a bit on the stalker side and advised Jake to break up with the girl.

"Well whoever she is tell her to go away" grumbled Sig.

"Roger" said Edgar.

He and Norman walked down the outside stairs and bounded over the railing to intercept the girl on the dock. Jillian was just to the boat when she saw two guys hop off deck and approach her.

"Hi" she said happily.

"Hey, I'm Edgar and this is Norman" said Edgar extending his hand.

"I'm Jillian" said Jillian shaking the proffered hands.

"So how do you know Jake?" asked Edgar.

"I don't" answered Jillian.

"Oh" said Edgar. "Are you a fan?"

"A fan of what?" asked Jillian.

"The show" said Edgar pointing to the cameras.

"I guess, I've only seen it a couple of times" said Jillian.

"Well it's always nice to meet a fan but we have to get back to work" said Edgar quickly. "Thanks for stopping by."

"Ok. Tell Sig I'm sorry I couldn't help fix the problem" said Jillian turning around.

"Wait what?" said Edgar striding to catch up with her.

"Sig called me on the Cornelia Marie and told me something was broken and he wanted me to take a look at it" said Jillian jiggling her tool bag.

"What was your name again?" asked Edgar.

"Jillian" she said slowly enunciating every syllable like she was talking to a child.

"Sorry, I think we got off on the wrong foot" said Edgar.

"That's fine, I know seeing a girl mechanic is confusing to people in this industry" said Jillian condescendingly.

"Yes, we are all cavemen" said Norman with a smile.

"If the club fits" said Jillian lightly.

"Ok, lets see if you can fix the dryer. It's got me and Norman completely baffled" said Edgar leading Jillian to the boat.

"A dryer? Well I'll do my best" said Jillian.

Sig watched Edgar and Norman's exchange with the girl on the boat and he was surprised to see them turn around and bring her down on deck. His ire was all the way up when he saw Norman carefully help her down onto the deck and lead her inside. Getting out of his chair he walked angrily downstairs to get the girl off his boat.

Sig burst into the dry room just in time to see Edgar helping Jillian take off her coat. He looked angrily at Norman and Edgar before glaring at Jillian who's smile faltered.

"Have you both suffered from memory loss in the last 2 minutes? I told you to get her out of here, we don't need any fangirl visits" spat Sig.

"Is this a familial trait or does everyone on the boat speak without thinking?" asked Jillian.

"Sig, this is Jillian from the Cornelia Marie" explained Edgar. "You asked her to come here and fix the dryer."

"She is not. I've never seen a girl who worked on any boat that looks like she does" said Sig.

"Well I'm only working on the boat as a favor for my uncle. And I wasn't aware their was a specific look for female crabbers" sniped Jillian.

"What could you possibly do on deck? You're tiny. I bet lifting a bait bag makes you cry" said Sig.

"Ok, I can see this is going downhill fast. Jillian let me show you the dryer" said Norman.

He pulled Jillian by the arm inside to where the dryer was located.

"So what's wrong with it?" asked Jillian.

"It's not drying as well as it use to. It's taken three or four cycles to dry the same amount of clothes it use to dry in one cycle" explained Norman.

"I'll take a look, but I've never actually fixed a dryer before" said Jillian.

She turned on the dryer and let it run for a few minutes before sticking her hand inside and testing the heat. Next she pulled the unit away from the wall and checked the circuitry on the back, everything seemed fine.

"Do you empty the lint trap all the time?" asked Jillian.

"Yes" said Norman.

"Because I think there is something preventing the machine from sucking in air" said Jillian. "Help me pull it out farther please."

Norman and Jillian pulled the machine completely away from the wall. Jillian moved to the back of the machine and quickly grabbed a few tools to help her pop the panel open. Reaching her hand into the exhaust duct she pulled out a massive ball of lint. She looked questioningly at Norman who just shrugged in response.

"I need some wet paper towels" announced Jillian getting to her feet.

Norman led her to the galley where she grabbed what she needed. Back at the machine she used the wet towels to pull the remaining lint out of the duct. By the time she was finished she had a pile large enough to fashion into a snowman if she'd been in the mood. Closing the panel she stood up and pushed the machine back into place.

"Lets test it out" said Jillian.

She pulled the clothes out of the washer and placed a few in the dryer before turning it on.

"It usually takes at least 45 minutes for stuff to dry. Do you want to go in and get some coffee?" asked Norman.

"Sure, if your brother will allow me inside the boat" said Jillian sourly.

"Don't worry I'll tell him your making us dinner" joked Norman.

Jillian stuck her tongue out in response before picking up her tools and following Norman inside.

Edgar, Jake, Nick and Matt were all sitting around the table playing cards. All of them looked up curiously when Norman and Jillian walked in. Norman got Jillian a cup of coffee and Jake scooted over to make room for her at the table. She sat down, gingerly setting the tools on the table.

"Hi, I'm Jake."

"I'm Jillian."

"Sorry again about Sig, he's under a lot of stress" said Edgar. "And he's kind of an ass anyway."

Jillian laughed a little before nodding.

"I'm Matt and he's Nick. It's nice to meet you Jillian" said Matt with a smile.

"What are you guys playing?" asked Jillian.

"Norwegian Poker" said Edgar.

"Never heard of it" said Jillian.

"You should play, we can deal you in on the next hand. Junior can help you" said Edgar a malicious smile playing across his lips.

"I'd love to, but I don't have money to bet with" said Jillian motioning to the pile of money in the middle of the table.

"You could bet whatever is in the bag" suggested Edgar.

"What would you want with a bunch of tools?" asked Jillian.

"Well I'm the boat's engineer so I'm sure I could find a use for them" said Edgar.

"I think you'd find them a little useless" said Jillian.

"Why are they all barbie screwdrivers?" teased Edgar.

"Yes but I have Hello Kitty wrenches too" said Jillian her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Lets see" said Edgar.

Jillian slid the bag across the table to him and watched as he picked out a few of her specialized tools.

"What the hell. Why are these so small?" said Edgar.

"I made them specifically for the size of my hands" said Jillian.

"Seriously? Your hands must be tiny" said Edgar.

"They are" said Jillian wiggling her fingers.

Edgar grabbed her hand an pulled her towards him. Jillian was pulled out of her seat and half way across the table.

"Hey" protested Jillian.

"Sorry. These are the smallest hands I've ever seen. I bet my daughter's hands are bigger than yours" said Edgar.

"Maybe. Anyway the tools are just my size and since my hands are small I'm able to get into places others can't" explained Jillian proudly.

"Hey Edgar maybe she can check that seal for you" suggested Nick.

"What seal?" asked Jillian.

"It's a seal on one of the tank pumps, I think it's loose but I can't reach it to find out for sure" said Edgar.

"I can look if you want" said Jillian.

"Alright lets go" said Edgar.

He grabbed Jillian's bag of tools and led her down into the engine room.

The engine room was quiet since the boat was moored at the dock and there was no crab in the tanks. Edgar gave Jillian a brief tour telling her the different upgrades and changes that have been made to the boats engines over the years. He stopped in front of an access panel and grabbed a screwdriver to open it. Prying it off he grabbed a flashlight and shined it in the direction of the seal. Jillian smiled and took her bag from Edgar's hand. She pulled out a small flashlight before sliding in front of Edgar and looking into the space. Edgar watched as her arm disappeared into the tiny crevice for a moment before pulling it back out. Jillian frowned and handed Edgar her flashlight so she could take off her sweatshirt. Laying the article of clothing on the nearest pipe she took back the flashlight and got back to work. This time Jillian was able to maneuver her arm all the way to the seal in question. Edgar was amazed as he watched her arm completely disappeared into the engine.

"I can feel it, I think a little sealant is all it needs" said Jillian her face squished against the outside of the panel. Pulling her arm back out she grabbed a little tube of sealant and thrust her arm back in. It took her a minute to get the seal fixed and then she removed her arm and put everything back in her bag.

"Wow, that was impressive. I would have had to wait until the boat was in dry dock for the summer to make that repair" said Edgar.

"Little hands" said Jillian.

Jillian inspected her arms and realized that she was covered in grease. Edgar noticed too and grabbed her sweatshirt for her.

"You can wash up inside" said Edgar.

"Thanks" said Jillian.

Jillian had just dried off her arms when Norman walked into the galley with a huge smile on his face. Edgar had an equally huge smile on his face and he nodded at Norman.

"Is the dryer working?" asked Jillian. "Or is the huge smile for a more creepy reason."

"It's working perfectly" said Norman. "Thanks for fixing it."

"She fixed the seal too" said Edgar. "You should have seen her. I never would have been able to reach and she did the whole job in 5 minutes."

"We should celebrate" said Jake.

"Agreed. Lets see if psycho Sig will let us take Jillian to the bar" said Edgar.

Edgar and Norman walked up the stairs to the wheelhouse to talk to Sig leaving Jake and Jillian alone at the table.

"How's the season going for you?" asked Jake.

"It's painful" said Jillian with a smile.

"Yeah, this job is painful" said Jake.

"I hope this is the one and only season I work as a crab fisherman. I much prefer working in the shop" said Jillian.

"Where do you work?" asked Jake.

"Magone's. My uncle Walt got me a job there" explained Jillian.

"Is that what you always wanted to do?" asked Jake. "You know be a mechanic."

"I wouldn't say I grew up dreaming of being a boat mechanic, but I'm good at it and now I can't imagine doing anything else" said Jillian.

"What did you dream about doing when you were little" asked Jake.

"I wanted to be a singer" said Jillian. "Like Cyndi Lauper."

"Can you sing?" asked Jake.

"I don't know, I've never really tried" said Jillian.

"You should try it some day, like an open mic night or something" said Jake.

Before Jillian could answer all three Hansen's walked into the galley. Jillian saw Jake's eyes widen slightly and she fought the urge to fidget.

"Well Jillian, I owe you an apology. These two are singing your praises like they are going to build you some sort of shrine in their room. Thanks for doing the repairs" said Sig.

"You're welcome" said Jillian with a small smile.

"So to celebrate your success we are taking you out for a drink" announced Sig.

"Sounds like fun" said Jillian.

She sat in the galley while the guys got ready and changed.

Sitting at the Thirsty Isle made Jillian feel a little guilty. She was pretty sure that the guys on the Cornelia Marie were still working the unload and here she was sipping on a drink with the crew of the Northwestern. She brushed off the guilty feeling by reminding herself that Phil sent her to Sig and Sig had brought her to the bar so she was still technically working.

"Stop thinking so much and relax" said Matt.

"Sorry, I was feeling a little guilty about being here while the rest of the guys are working" said Jillian.

"You know what will cure that?" asked Matt.

"No. What?" asked Jillian.

"A shot" said Matt setting down a shot of clear liquid.

"What is it?" asked Jillian.

"Patron" answered Matt.

"Awesome Matt, you got her a shot. Cheers Jillian, drink up" said Jake.

"Cheers" said Jillian clinking her glasses to theirs and drinking the shot. Jillian washed the taste away with a sip of her beer.

The evening wore on and Jillian took a few more shots and had a few more beers before she decided that she should probably head back to the boat.

"I'll walk you back" said Sig.

"Thanks, but I can make it on my own" said Jillian slipping on her coat.

"I have to see Phil anyway, so I'll make sure you get there safe and sound" said Sig.

"Ok, if it won't be any trouble for you" said Jillian.

They got as far as the front door before meeting Jake, Josh and the rest of the Cornelia Marie crew.

"Hey guys" said Jillian.

"Jillian! We were hoping you'd be here. The unload's all done and we are ready to drink" said Josh.

"She was just going back to the boat" said Sig with a smile.

"You can't, you'll be lonely. No one is there" said Jake.

Phil walked through the door and his eyes lit up when he saw Jillian. The light dimmed when he saw that she was wearing her coat and so was Sig.

"Jillian, where are you off to?" he asked.

"I was heading back to the boat. But since you are all here I think I'll stay" said Jillian following Jake and Josh to the bar.

"Phil, I was hoping to talk to you for a few minutes" said Sig. "By the way thanks for sending Jillian over, she managed to fix the dryer and a pump seal in one afternoon."

"You wanted her to fix a dryer?" said Phil in disbelief.

"Edgar and Norman couldn't get it done so I thought maybe she could and she did" said Sig.

"I'm glad she could help" said Phil.

"She's amazing. How does she do on deck?" asked Sig.

"Good, she does good work. Gets in and out of the pots no problem, she's a fast learner and she doesn't complain" said Phil thoughtfully.

"You should get her to stay permanently" said Sig with a smile.

"Yeah, I think this will be her first and last season, she says the constant rocking is causing brain damage" said Phil.

"Ah, well if that was true it would certainly explain a lot" said Sig.

"I need a drink" said Phil. "What can I get you?"

Phil and Sig headed to the bar just in time to see Edgar pick up Jillian and set her on the bar.

"What's going on?" asked Sig.

"Body shots" said Edgar manhandling Jillian so she was laying down.

"Ok Jillian, just stay still and you'll be fine" said Edgar reassuringly.

"Fine, but don't spill anything on my shirt it's one of my favorites" said Jillian.

"If you're that worried you could take it off" said Jake.

"Just do your shot and let me up" said Jillian.

Edgar lifted the hem of her t-shirt up exposing her stomach. Then he used a lime wedge to rim her belly button then sprinkled salt on the juice before dropping another lime inside her belly button. Finally he carefully balanced a shot glass on her stomach.

"Ok, who's first?" asked Edgar.

"Me" said Matt with a smile.

"What am I saying" said Edgar ignoring Matt completely. "The person who thought of this brilliant idea should go first and that is me."

"Edgar, you don't even drink" said Jake.

"I am known to imbibe on occasion and this is such an occasion" said Edgar with a mock salute.

He stood over Jillian and gazed into her eyes. His eyes were full of mischief and hers were full of nervous anticipation. He licked up some of the salt and Jillian began to squirm her abdominal muscles getting more defined by the moment.

"Dombt moobe" said Edgar not removing his tongue from her stomach.

Jillian did her best to remain still. Edgar took the shot glass in his mouth and tipped it down his throat without using his hands. Dropping the glass onto Jillian's stomach he pulled the lime out of her belly button with his teeth and sucked on it. The entire room burst into applause and Edgar took a deep bow. Jillian sat up brushing the residual salt off her stomach and pulling down her shirt.

"I think turn about is fair play" said Jillian with a smirk.

"Your wish is my command" said Edgar.

Jillian wet the side of Edgar's neck with a little lime then poured the salt onto his skin. She placed another lime between his teeth and carefully balanced the shot glass on his shoulder with her hand. Jillian licked the salt off his neck, took the shot and kissed him while sucking on the lime in his mouth. Again the room irrupted in applause.

"That would have been perfect if that lime wasn't in the way" said Edgar.

"Hey I want to go next" said Josh.

"I'm sure Edgar will be happy to assist you" said Jillian with a smirk.

"I'm sure he would but I want you" said Josh with a gleam in his eye.

Jillian assented and Josh moved her off the bar to the barstool. He sprinkled salt on her collarbone then tucked the lime and the shot in between her cleavage. He licked, did the shot then spent an inordinately long time getting the lime. For Jillian's turn she put salt on Josh's ear lobe and the lime on his neck. Taking her time she nibbled his ear lobe taking care to remove every grain of salt. She took the shot then bit the lime carefully scrapping her teeth against the skin of his neck. Josh couldn't even hear the applause because he was fighting to keep himself from moaning out loud.

"Alright, I'm taking a break before I pass out" said Jillian.

"Not before you do one more for one of the captains" said Edgar.

"Do I get to pick which one?" asked Jillian.

"Nope, they've already flipped for it" said Edgar.

"Who won?" asked Jillian warily.

"Your captain" answered Edgar.

Jillian's smile brightened slightly and she turned to see where Phil was. Phil was sitting with Sig at the end of the bar, in front of them were 2 shot glasses full of liquor. Jillian took a deep breath and walked over to where the two captains were sitting.

"Well princess how are you feeling?" asked Sig.

"I'm fine. I hear one of you would like a shot" said Jillian.

"That would be Phil and trust me when I say that he's very happy to have won" said Sig with a smile.

"Ok, how do you want me?" asked Jillian.

"Oh my God, if that isn't a loaded question Jillian I don't know what is" said Phil.

"I suppose it was, but the question still stands" replied Jillian.

"I want you up on the bar" said Phil.

Sig helped Jillian up on the bar and she scooted until she was seated right in front of Phil her legs hanging on either side of him.

"You look tiny up there" said Phil.

"I don't see why that's such a fascination for you" said Jillian.

"So much in such a small package" said Phil more to himself than to her.

When he stood up he and Jillian were almost eye to eye. He moved his hands to Jillian's t-shirt and moved it down so the tops of her boobs were a little more exposed. He put salt on the top side of one of her breasts before leaning down and licking. His tongue danced along her exposed flesh making Jillian shiver. Picking his head up he took his shot then handed Jillian hers. She drank her shot then looked at Phil in confusion. Phil smiled then placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her in for a searing kiss. His tongue pushed it's way into her mouth running it over her tongue and tasting her. For a moment Jillian didn't know how to respond, however higher brain function soon abandoned her and she began to respond to Phil's ministrations. Her hands tangled in his hair and her tongue began it's own quest. They pulled apart moments later both slightly breathless.

"Now I wish I'd won" said Sig.

Phil sat down on the bar stool leaving a rather stunned Jillian sitting on the bar in front of him. The guys drank together for a few more hours before the Sig and his crew headed back to the Northwestern. His plan was to leave early and he wanted the guys to at least get a bit of sleep. Jillian wished the guys a safe trip and gave them all hugs and a few kisses. Later that evening found Jillian falling asleep in Phil's lap.

"Alright kids, I'm taking sleeping beauty back to the boat. I'm trusting you guys to behave" said Phil.

"Don't worry about us. I hope you're going to behave" said Jake.

"Do you want me to go with you dad?" asked Josh.

"I'll be fine, I can carry her or if I can't I'll make her walk" said Phil with a smile.

"See you later" said Freddie.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you again for reading and reviewing. Seeing your comments and encouragement always makes me smile.

Phil managed to get Jillian to stand up long enough to get her into her coat. He scooped her into his arms and she immediately nestled against his chest. Once outside the bar the subzero temperatures caused Jillian to burrow deeper into Phil's chest in an effort to shield herself from the cold. Phil smiled and held Jillian's squirming body closer to his. The bar wasn't far from where the Cornelia Marie was docked but walking was made more treacherous by the ice on the ground and the snow flurries in the air. Phil tried to be as careful as possible but after a particularly slippery patch of ice he set Jillian down.

"Sorry Jillian, it's too slippery on the dock" said Phil.

"I can walk" said Jillian sleepily.

She managed to take 3 steps before slipping on a bit of ice and falling on her butt.

"You aren't making too good of a case for being able to walk" joked Phil.

"God, if I was back in Dutch I would be warm and dry in my apartment. But instead I have a wet ass and I'm freezing" complained Jillian.

She struggled to her feet and continued to walk down the dock towards the boat. Phil watched her progress laughing quietly at her tantrum. He was fairly sure Walt would be shocked at all the names his niece was calling him. Phil watched her slip again but Jillian was able to catch herself before she fell. Phil hurried to catch up to her wanting to be there to catch her if she slipped again or just in case she needed help. Jillian abruptly stopped at the boat causing Phil to run into her.

"Why'd you stop?" asked Phil steadying Jillian with his hands.

"When did the boat move so far from the dock?" asked Jillian.

Phil looked over her head and saw that the boat was significantly farther from the dock than it had been earlier. All the bowlines were taut and with each move of the boat they would groan ominously.

Jillian knelt down on the dock and looked down into the water. She turned around and looked at Phil before delivering her verdict.

"I think the harbor is freezing over" said Jillian.

"What?" said Phil.

"The ice is forming under the dock and pushing the boat out farther" said Jillian.

Phil knelt down next to Jillian and looked down at the chunks of ice pushing against the boat.

"Shit" muttered Phil.

Jillian studied the gap between the dock and the boat wondering how she was suppose to get over the railing. Under normal circumstances she had to make a bit of a jump to get to the railing but under these conditions she wasn't sure she could make it. Phil sighed and made the leap grabbing onto the side ladder to steady himself on the railing before climbing over onto the deck.

"Ok Jillian, just run and jump. I'll catch you" said Phil.

"What if I don't make it over the railing?" asked Jillian.

"Then I'll throw you the life ring" answered Phil.

"Maybe I'll just wait" said Jillian.

"Until what, spring? Use some of that liquid courage you drank in the bar and jump" taunted Phil.

"Fine. But you better catch me" said Jillian.

She took a few steps back so she could get a running start, said a prayer and took a flying leap off the dock and into Phil's arms. Phil caught her with little effort, he tried not to think about how she'd barely cleared the railing, if the boat had been another foot out she wouldn't have made it. Phil held her for a second longer before setting her down on her feet. He didn't notice the tears in her eyes or her rapid heart beat.

Jillian walked inside and struggled to get out of her coat. Phil walked up behind her and helped to slide the coat down her shoulders. Jillian's wrist got tangled in the arm of her coat and she yanked it as hard as she could before letting out a string of curses, frustration getting the better of her.

"Jillian stop, you are going to rip the coat" said Phil.

He untangled her arm from the coat and quickly stripped the garment off of her. He hung up the coat then turned to follow Jillian down the hallway. He finally caught up with her as she was turning into the stateroom. Phil walked in behind her and was treated to a wonderful view of her ass as she dug around in her bag for clothes.

"I'm so sick of doing this. I never wanted to be on this boat or do this job" said Jillian peeling off her sweatshirt.

"I'm not cut out for all this rocking and swaying" continued Jillian as she pulled off her t-shirt.

Next came a complaint about smelling like fish all the time which coincided with the removal of her pants. Phil was now unabashedly staring at Jillian clothed in just a bra and panties.

"After this season I may never go one so much as a ferry ride again in my life" spat Jillian removing her bra and panties.

Her body was perfectly proportioned in Phil's opinion. Her breasts were probably a little smaller than a handful and still perky. As Phil's eyes traveled down her body he noticed her could see her Ab muscles moving as she spoke and that there was a small well groomed triangle of hair just above her two plump pussy lips. Jillian grabbed her underwear and slid them on hiding her femininity from sight, next she put on a t-shirt and finally her pajama shorts.

"And before you say anything about what I'm wearing let me just say I'm not in the mood to hear it" said Jillian snapping Phil out of his musings.

"I wasn't going to say a word" said Phil.

"Yeah right and I'm the queen of England" said Jillian.

"Good night your majesty" said Phil.

"Hmph" was Jillian's response.

Jillian laid down on the bunk carefully moving her blanket to the side.

"Why don't you cover up? You'll be cold in just the t-shirt and shorts" said Phil.

"It's hot in here" explained Jillian.

"You were shivering on the walk from the bar and now you're hot?" asked Phil.

"Yes. Don't try to understand, it will only make your head hurt" said Jillian.

"Good Night Jillian, sleep tight" said Phil.

"Nighty Night" replied Jillian.

She rolled over tucking her hand under her cheek and closed her combination or emotions and alcohol immediately sent Jillian into a very deep sleep. Phil watched her for a moment before going up to the wheelhouse to find out about the ice in the harbor.

Edgar and Jake crept silently onto the Cornelia Marie's deck. Jillian had left her tools on their boat and Sig wanted them returned. Leaving the tools with Jillian had been the duos original plan however that changed when Sig told them the harbor was frozen and they wouldn't be leaving until they could do so safely. Now they were on board for another more nefarious reason. Edgar opened the door to the house as silently as possible. The faint glow of the galley light illuminated the empty hallway. Jake and Edgar had discussed their plan ad nauseam on the way to the Cornelia Marie. Edgar opened the first stateroom's door and peered in, no Jillian. He closed the door silently and they moved on to check the next room. Jake opened the next door and looked around, he saw Jake and Josh in their bunks and was about to back out when he saw Jillian's jeans on the floor. Stepping in a bit farther he found Jillian in her bunk half covered by a comforter. He signaled Edgar that he'd found her. Edgar walked into the room and surveyed the situation. He and Jake shared a look and Edgar counted to 3 using his fingers. When the third finger appeared Jake moved to Jillian's bed, wrapped her up in the blanket and picked her up. He handed her off to Edgar who immediately took her out of the room. Jake silently set the tool bag on the bed before walking out of the room and silently closing the door. No one on the boat heard a thing.

Edgar carried a surprisingly still sleeping Jillian across the deck. Jake caught up with him and held her while Edgar moved to the dock. Then Jake carefully passed her to Edgar's outstretched arms. Once on the dock they both moved quickly back to the Northwestern. When they were about halfway there Edgar noticed that Jillian was starting to shiver.

"Shit, we need to get her inside quick, she's getting cold" remarked Edgar.

"She's not even wearing socks" said Jake noticing Jillian's uncovered feet.

"We can warm her up when we get her inside, lets hurry" said Edgar walking faster.

They reached the deck of the Northwestern and this time Jake jumped down first before accepting Jillian from Edgar's arms. He jostled her slightly and Jillian's eyes fluttered for a moment but she didn't wake up. Jake clutched her to his chest trying to keep her warm while Edgar opened the door. They both walked inside and Jake waited for Edgar to strip off his coat and boots before handing Jillian over so he could do the same.

"Where are we going to put her?" asked Jake.

"My room, I'm sure Norman won't mind the company" said Edgar.

"We should get her warmed up, I think her feet are blue" said Jake.

Edgar nodded then carried Jillian down the hall to the stateroom he shared with Norman.

Norman was woken up by the sound of Edgar and Jake crowding into the room. He cracked an eye opened and was mildly surprised to see Edgar holding a blanket wrapped body.

"Did you kill someone?" asked Norman sleepily. "Because if you did just tie some weights to it and dump it over the side."

"Funny. It's Jillian" said Edgar.

"Why did you kill her?" asked Norman sitting up.

"I didn't kill her, she's sleeping. We just liberated her from the Cornelia Marie" said Edgar.

"Hey, she's freezing" said Jake feeling one of Jillian's feet.

"What the hell is she wearing? She shouldn't be that cold we were only outside for 10 minutes max" said Edgar.

Jake unwrapped Jillian from her blanket and all three guys gawked at Jillian's sleepwear.

"Well I guess that explains why she's cold" said Norman.

"It's the middle of winter on the Bearing Sea and she's wearing a t-shirt and tiny shorts" said Jake in disbelief.

"Move over Norman, I'm putting her in bed with you. Warm her up" said Edgar.

Norman moved and Edgar tucked Jillian in next to him. Norman winced as the cold from her feet permeated the leg of his sweats.

"Shit Edgar, she's like an ice cube" said Norman.

"Fine, move over more and I'll lay on the other side of her" said Edgar.

Norman pulled Jillian against his body and felt Edgar's hands encircle her waist as he got into the bed.

"What the hell is going on" mumbled Jillian into Norman's chest.

"Hi Jillian, we are just trying to warm you up" answered Edgar.

"Ok" said Jillian her body starting to shake slightly and her teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Edgar pulled the blanket over the three of them and ran his arms up and down Jillian's in an attempt to warm her chilled skin. Norman for his part kept his body flush with Jillian's trying to keep as much body contact as possible. Jillian fell back asleep almost immediately and eventually Norman and Edgar did too.

Phil was sitting in the wheelhouse listening to the weather report from the coast guard. The storm had passed and the ice pack was again descending into the northern crab grounds. Phil was relieved that he'd moved his gear south before the offload. Now even if they were stuck in the harbor for a few days at least his gear was soaking. He heard the sound of his sons charging up the stairs, taking a deep breath he steeled himself for their onslaught.

"Hey Dad, is Jillian sleeping in your room?" asked Jake.

"Why would she be in my room?" countered Phil.

"Because she's not in ours" replied Jake.

"Well last time I saw her she was fast asleep in her own bed" said Phil.

"That's weird. The only thing on her bed right now is her tool bag" said Josh.

"Maybe she's checking on the engine or something" suggested Phil.

"She's probably cold then because her boots and her coat are still in the ready room" said Josh.

"Where do you think she is?" asked Phil.

"We think the someone from the Northwestern has her" said Jake. "She's been kidnapped."

Phil looked at his son in utter amazement.

"That is so stupid, what would they want with her?" said Phil dismissively.

"Maybe it's just a prank" said Josh.

"Fine, I'll call Sig and find out. Maybe they want to ransom her. How much do you think she's worth?" said Phil picking up the radio.

"Anything" replied Josh immediately.

"Northwestern this is Cornelia Marie. Sig are you there?" said Phil over the radio.

"Yeah, what's up Phil?" answered Sig.

"I think you have something that belongs to us and we'd like her back" said Phil.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sig.

"Don't play dumb Sig, you know what I'm talking about" replied Phil.

"Honestly Phil, I'm completely lost" said Sig.

"Is Jillian on your boat?" asked Phil.

"No. Why would she be here?" asked Sig.

"Because she's not here and the boys think you've kidnapped her" said Phil.

"I don't have her" said Sig.

"Are you sure?" asked Phil.

"I think I would know if there was a girl on the boat" quipped Sig.

"Yeah, she may be there against her will"

"I'm sure she's not here, but I'll check if it will make you feel better" said Sig.

"Check your room too, she's been known to turn up in the captain's stateroom" said Phil.

"Roger. I can't wait to hear the story about how you found out that little tidbit" teased Sig.

Phil looked at the boys with a shrug. Jake and Josh were still confident that Jillian was on the Northwestern.

Sig picked up the boat phone and pressed the button for Edgar and Norman's stateroom. He waited impatiently and was about to hang up when he heard Edgar's sleepy voice answer.

"Yeah" he said sleepily.

"Are you still sleeping?" asked Sig.

"No" began Edgar.

"Never mind. I just got off the radio with Phil and he thinks we are in possession of something that belongs to him" said Sig.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" asked Edgar innocently.

"Not a that a who" said Sig. "Did you and Junior kidnap anyone from the Cornelia Marie this morning?"

The moment of silence on the phone was enough to tell Sig what he needed to know. He dropped the phone and rushed down to the stateroom. He expected to see Jillian tied up with a rag in her mouth to keep her quiet.

"Sig? Hello?" said Edgar into the quiet phone.

Shrugging Edgar was about to climb back into the bed with Jillian and Norman when Sig opened the door.

"Where is she?" asked Sig.

"Shhh. She and Norman are sleeping" said Edgar pointing to the bed.

Sig looked at Jillian cuddled against Norman's chest her legs wrapped around his.

"What the hell is she wearing?" asked Sig.

"Shorts and a t-shirt" said Edgar. "We didn't realize she was so inappropriately dressed when we took her or we'd have grabbed her some socks."

"Why did you take her?" asked Sig.

"As a prank" answered Edgar with a shrug.

Sig walked over to the bed and sat down next to Jillian. He pulled at her shoulder to roll her onto her back. Jillian's skin rippled with goosebumps and her nipples hardened as she rolled over. Her eyes opened slightly and once she recognized who was sitting next to her they widened in shock.

"Morning princess" said Sig.

"Where am I?" asked Jillian.

"In bed with Norman, don't you remember anything?" asked Edgar.

Jillian looked over at Norman, his eyes were closed but there was a small smile playing across his lips that told Jillian he was wide awake.

"I remember you telling me you were warming me up earlier" said Jillian. "And before that I remember going to bed in my bunk on the Cornelia Marie."

"And now you're here, see the mystery is solved" said Edgar breezily.

Jillian shivered a little and Norman instinctively pulled her against him. Sig looked down at Jillian and sighed.

"Norman as much as you probably love using body heat to keep her warm why don't we get her a sweatshirt and some pants" said Sig.

Edgar moved to his duffle bag and pulled out a sweatshirt. He sniffed it and threw it on the pile in the corner, he reached back in and pulled out another one, gave it a sniff and handed it to Jillian. Jillian took the proffered sweatshirt and pulled it over her head. The sweatshirt was huge on her, she pushed up the sleeves until her hands appeared, then tucked her legs under her covering them with the sweatshirt.

"That thing is huge on you. Ask Junior if he has something smaller" said Sig.

"It's fine. It has more fabric to keep me covered up" said Jillian.

"How are you feeling?" asked Sig.

"My head feels like the entire cast of Riverdance is having a rehearsal inside my skull" replied Jillian.

"That's what happens when you do shots" said Norman.

Jillian looked over her shoulder at the still reclining Norman and smiled.

"Thanks for keeping me warm" said Jillian.

"Hey don't give him all the credit, I kept you warm too" said Edgar.

"Yes, but I wouldn't have been cold if you hadn't dragged me out of my warm bed in the first place" said Jillian.

"There was no dragging and you were fast asleep" said Edgar.

"I still think we should get you some pants" said Sig thoughtfully.

"Really it's fine" said Jillian.

To prove her point she stood up showing Sig how far down the sweatshirt fell on her body. Sig stepped forward pulling at the sides of the sweatshirt exaggerating how large it was.

"At least get some socks on" said Sig.

Norman leaned over the side of the bunk and plucked a pair of socks from his bag. Jillian slipped them on her feet pulling them up to her knees.

"Thanks, I feel much warmer" said Jillian.

"Lets get you some water and ibuprofen then maybe some breakfast" said Edgar pulling Jillian to her feet.

"I guess I will tell Phil I found you" said Sig.

"Ask him when he wants me back" said Jillian.

"Oh I'm sure he will be down here in a heartbeat to pick you up" said Sig with a smirk.

Jillian, Edgar, Norman and Sig all walked together down the hallway. Jillian excused herself to the bathroom to freshen up. Inside the bathroom she looked at herself in the tiny mirror, she looked a little worse for wear. She splashed some water on her face and dried it with a towel, next she braided her hair into two braids and secured them together with a hairband on her wrist. When she emerged from the bathroom Norman was waiting for her.

"Edgar's making you a special breakfast" he said with a smile.

"Should I be worried?" asked Jillian.

"No, Edgar's a really good cook. He use to be the cook before Matt got promoted" explained Norman as they reached the galley.

"I didn't realize that being the boat cook was a promotion" said Jillian.

"It's not, it just means more work" answered Matt. "What are you doing here?"

"You will have to ask Edgar, he brought me" said Jillian.

"I'm intrigued. Edgar why is she here and where are her pants?" asked Matt.

"She's here to visit. As for the pants, she didn't come with any" said Edgar.

"I'm wearing shorts" said Jillian lifting the hem of the sweatshirts to show Matt what she was wearing.

"Hey Jillian, nice to see you" said Nick walking up and giving her a playful slap on the ass.

"Hi Nick" said Jillian, dropping the sweatshirt over her shorts.

"I didn't think you came back with us last night" said Nick.

"I didn't, I was brought here sometime during the night" said Jillian.

Nick lifted an eyebrow in Jillian's direction and she just jerked her head in Edgar's direction.

"What smells so good?" asked Jake walking into the galley. "Oh hey Jillian, are you all thawed out?"

"Hi Jake. I'm thawed out thanks for asking" said Jillian suspiciously.

"Yeah, your feet were like blocks of ice when we were walking last night" said Jake completely ignoring Edgar's flailing arms from the kitchen.

"I hope I wasn't too heavy" said Jillian.

"Nope. Although Edgar carried you most of the way" said Jake.

"Breakfast is ready. Everybody sit" said Edgar interrupting whatever Jake was going to say next.

Jillian sat down at the table in between Norman and Jake. Edgar set her plate in front of her. There was a pancake with sunny side egg eyes and a bacon mouth.

"Thank you" said Jillian smiling brightly.

"Hey Edgar, where's mine?" asked Norman with a pout.

"You have to serve yourself, the special one is just for Jillian since she's our guest" said Edgar.

"More like victim" said Matt under his breath.

Jillian smiled and dug into her breakfast with gusto.

Meanwhile in the wheelhouse Sig was waiting for Phil to answer his radio. Sig sighed and lit a cigarette, he imagined that this conversation was not going to go well.

"Hey Sig, did you find Jillian" asked Phil.

"Roger, she's here" said Sig.

"Is she ok?" asked Phil.

"She's fine, I think she's eating some breakfast" said Sig.

"Great, can you send her back when she's done" said Phil.

"I guess Edgar can carry her back" said Sig thoughtfully.

"Why can't she walk back?" asked Phil.

"For a couple of reasons, first she doesn't have any shoes or a coat or pants" replied Sig.

"What exactly did she wear over there?" asked Phil.

"Her pajamas and a blanket" said Sig.

"What?" said Phil.

"Yeah, basically Edgar and Jake took turns carrying her over here, then by the time she got here she was like a icicle" said Sig.

"Are you sure she's ok?" asked Phil concerned.

"Yes, she's wearing a bit more clothing right now, but I don't think she can walk back to your boat without freezing" said Sig.

"Fine, I'll come get her" said Phil. "I'll see you in a little bit."

Sig sighed and called the harbor master to check on the status of the ice in the harbor. His plan to leave early was completely shot, but if the ice is thin he could definitely break out into open water. Maybe Phil could be convinced to go first and Sig could just follow in his wake. The smell of breakfast drew Sig from his chair. He made it downstairs and was surprised to see Jillian eating one of Edgar's famous happy face pancakes. Sig was fairly certain he'd only seen those made on either his kids or Edgar's kids birthdays.

"Is today your birthday Jillian?" asked Sig.

"No. Why do you ask?" replied Jillian.

"Just wondering what you did to deserve the famous face pancake" said Sig.

"She just does" replied Edgar testily.

"Phil is going to come get you" said Sig to Jillian.

"Um, ok" said Jillian.

"I think we should tie her up outside" suggested Matt.

"No, it's too cold out there. Although I guess we could tie her up in here" mused Edgar.

"Don't you think kidnapping me in the dead of night was enough?" asked Jillian.

"Nope, you definitely need to be tied up. Who knows maybe you'll like it" said Edgar with an evil smirk.

Jillian frowned angrily then started to scoot out of her seat. Norman grabbed her arm holding her in place.

"Ok, let me get some tape" said Edgar walking out of the galley.

"You can't be serious" said Jillian looking at Norman.

"It's easier just to go along with his crazy plans then fight them" explained Norman.

"Yeah, he once tried to throw me off the roof of the wheelhouse" said Nick.

"What?! And you agreed to do it?" asked Jillian incredulously.

"He ended up making a dummy and throwing it off" said Nick.

"Yeah, I didn't buy it though" said Sig smugly.

"This whole boat is insane" said Jillian struggling slightly.

"Ok, lets get her trussed up and then we can figure out where to hang her" said Edgar stretching out a piece of duct tape.

Jillian was thinking off all the ways she would torture Edgar before she finally killed him. She decided covering him with bait from the waist down and then suspending him into a full crab tank would be how she started. Next she would pull out each chest hair with tweezers before splashing him with lemon juice. Her musings of torture were interrupted by a overwhelming urge to scratch her nose. She couldn't accomplish this because she was duct taped like a mummy and suspended from a hook in the Northwestern's tiny ready room. Yelling for help was pointless too since her mouth was covered with two pieces of tape. Her only hope was that Phil would get here soon and save her. The guys of the Northwerstern were out on deck prepping the boat for departure. They all thought Jillian looked adorable all trussed up and told her all about it each time they walked by her. Sighing in defeat Jillian closed her eyes trying to imagine herself anywhere but where she currently was.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for all the reviews, they always make me smile. Please continue to read and review.

Phil slipped on his jacket in the Cornelia Marie dry room. Josh was already outside anxiously pacing the deck waiting for Phil and Jake to appear. Walking outside into the cold sent a shiver up Phil's spine. He tried to imagine how cold Jillian must have been as she was carried to the Northwestern in the middle of the night.

"Finally. Where's Jake?" asked Josh impatiently.

"He's coming, keep your shirt on" said Phil.

"We need to go, they are probably torturing her right now" said Josh.

"Last I heard they were torturing her by feeding her breakfast" said Phil dismissively.

"Yeah of course all they are going to do is feed her breakfast" said Josh sarcasm lacing his comment.

"For God sakes Josh, they took her right under your noses. How could you not have woken up?" spat Phil.

"We were tired and drunk. Kidnapping wasn't something I thought I needed to be on the look out for" said Josh defensively.

"Please, they are always taking stuff. Remember when Jake stole Jonathon's favorite jacket" said Phil.

"Jillian isn't a jacket she's a person" said Josh.

"Wow, your powers of deduction are amazing" quipped Jake emerging on deck.

"Finally, lets go" said Josh.

The trio took off towards the Northwestern and a quick clip. Josh was determined to rescue Jillian from her torturers, Phil wanted to get his deckhand back and Jake was just going along for the ride. The walk was cold and Phil stopped to shout hello to a few of the other captains who were in port and ask them if they were going to be heading out anytime soon. Most replies were negative but the Retriever was heading out late this afternoon. In Phil's mind the wheels were turning, if the Cornelia Marie followed the ice rated Retriever out of the harbor they wouldn't have to be the ones breaking the ice. With a smile on his face Phil picked up his pace towards the Northwestern, he was going to have some good news to share with Sig.

Sig checked over the charts as he listened to the ice report chatter on the radio. He had some pots in the northern part of the crab grounds and was anxious to get them out of harms way. The harbor ice however was thwarting his carefully made plans. He wondered if Phil had heard any better news.

"Junior, get up here" called Sig over the hailer.

Jake was up in the wheelhouse moments later still in his rain gear.

"What's up boss?" asked Jake.

"Where's the princess? Phil will be here soon and I would like her to be wearing a pair of pants when he gets here" said Sig.

"She's fine, just hanging out" said Jake with a snicker.

Sig's eyes darkened and he glared at Jake suspiciously.

"Is she out on deck?" asked Sig.

"She's just hanging around somewhere" said Jake his smile growing larger.

"Bring her in here" said Sig. "But get her a pair of your sweats first."

"Sig, she's just hanging around downstairs. I think she's fine" said Jake trying to keep from laughing.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you giggling like a teenage girl?" asked Sig.

Jake just shook his head, he couldn't speak because all his energy was being used to keep him from laughing out loud, his eyes were tearing up at the effort.

"For fucks sake" said Sig getting out of the chair and walking downstairs. He noticed the galley was empty and was just about to go outside when he noticed a very annoyed looking Jillian hanging from a coat hook.

"EDGAR!!!!!" yelled Sig bursting out on deck.

"Hey" answered Edgar innocently.

"Get her down, find her some pants and make sure she's happy" said Sig his voice barely above a whisper. "Or I will personally throw you over the side of this boat."

"Roger" said Edgar.

Edgar pulled Jillian down from the hook and carried her into his stateroom. Laying her on the bed he tried to determine the best way to get all the tape off of her while keeping her docile. Whipping out his knife he carefully cut through the center of the tape from her knees to her chest taking care not to cut his sweatshirt. Even with the tape sliced she couldn't move. Edgar casually rolled her over and cut the tape on her back. He carefully peeled the tape from her legs first, trying to ignore the sound of tape peeling away layers of skin. Next he pulled the tape off the sweatshirt enough to allow Jillian to move her arms a little. Her wrists were still tied together in front of her and she raised her arms tentatively before dropping them back to the bed rather uselessly. Edgar looked up into her eyes for the first time and saw that they were clouded with emotion. The crew of the Northwestern had duct taped many a greenhorn and never had any of them look as murderous as Jillian. Edgar idly wondered what Jillian would do once he freed her. Sighing he figured he might as well get the yelling over with, so he reached up and tore the tape off of her mouth. The tape came off pulling a layer of Jillian's lip off with it. Tears coursed down her cheeks while blood poured off her lips. Edgar was shocked, in all the times they'd used duct tape no one had ever bled. Reaching around he picked up one of Norman's t-shirts and pressed it against Jillian's mouth.

"I'm sorry Jillian. I didn't think you'd start bleeding" said Edgar.

Jillian's hands came up and replaced Edgar's in holding the shirt. He quickly moved his knife in between her wrists and sliced the tape. Jillian held out one hand and Edgar tried to slowly ease the tape off of her wrist. Dropping the towel Jillian pushed Edgar's hands away and tore the tape off her wrists. Edgar was relieved that there was no blood this time. Jillian took the tape covered sweatshirt off and handed it to Edgar next she gingerly removed the tape from her legs. Her lip was still dripping with blood so Edgar once again lifted the t-shirt to her lips.

"Is this shirt clean?" asked Jillian, her voice muffled by the t-shirt.

"Probably not. Nothing on this boat is clean" said Edgar.

Jillian shivered slightly and Edgar suddenly remembered her state of undress. He stood up and called the wheelhouse.

"Hey, is Junior around?" asked Edgar.

"Yeah, he's right here, why?" said Sig.

"Because I need clothes for Jillian. Ask him for a sweatshirt and some sweats" said Edgar.

"I'll send him right now. How is she?" asked Sig.

"Thank you" said Edgar completely ignoring Sig's question before hanging up the phone.

Jake arrived a moment later with a pair of sweats and a Northwestern sweatshirt. He held them out to Jillian who quickly pulled on the sweatshirt before sliding into the sweats. She rolled the waist of the pants a few times to make sure they stayed in place. The sweatshirt was just as big as Edgar's had been so once again Jillian pushed up the sleeves until her hands were visible. Jake thought Jillian looked adorable, like a sexy girlfriend all dressed up in his oversized clothes. Then he noticed the ligature marks on her wrists from the tape and blanched.

"Oh shit, Edgar did you see her wrists?" said Jake.

Edgar's hand shot out and grabbed one of Jillian's wrists bringing it to his face for a closer inspection. The wrist was raw and red with a deep abrasion where the tape had rubbed.

"Does it hurt?" asked Edgar.

"What do you think" replied Jillian.

"I'm hoping it looks worse than it feels" said Edgar hopefully.

"Lets do a little experiment and find out" said Jillian. "Jake bring me the duct tape."

Jake looked at Edgar who just shrugged, he walked out of the room returning a moment later with the roll of duct tape. He tossed the tape to Jillian who caught is and tore off a 6 inch strip. Edgar dutifully held out his wrist for taping. In a flash Jillian was on top of him forcing him down on the bed, ripping up his shirt she placed the tape over the hair on his stomach. She pressed it down as hard as she could until Edgar got his bearings back enough to push her off.

"That was not the agreement" said Edgar trying to lightly remove the tape.

"There wasn't an agreement" snorted Jillian.

Jake snickered from the side of the room. He'd been fairly certain Jillian was up to something when she asked for the tape but he had no idea it was going to be this good.

"Do you need some help with that?" asked Jillian sweetly.

"I bet you'd love to rip it off" said Edgar.

"I wouldn't care either way, if you take if off slowly it will pull every single hair follicle. If I take it off it will come off in one fast tear. Either way it's going to hurt" said Jillian smugly.

"You're a monster" said Edgar.

"If I was a monster I would have put it on your balls" replied Jillian with a sneer.

Sig paced the wheelhouse wondering if Edgar managed to get all the tape off of Jillian, find her some pants and make her happy. He was fairly sure Junior had supplied her with some pants, the other two issues were still unknown. He spotted Phil and his boys walking down the dock. Getting up he went out to the deck to greet them.

"Hey Phil, come on in" said Sig.

Phil, Jake and Josh all jumped onto the deck of the Northwestern and proceeded to follow Sig inside and up to the wheelhouse.

"Where is she?" asked Josh anxiously.

"She's fine, she's with Edgar and Jake" replied Sig easily. "Any news about getting out of here?"

"Yeah, I just talked to Jeff on the Retriever. He's taking off tonight" said Phil excitedly.

"No shit, that's fantastic. Is he cool with us going out behind him?" asked Sig.

"He's fine with it. He's got northern gear to rescue so he's gotta get out of here asap" replied Phil.

"I guess I'll have the guys get ready to head out" said Sig more to himself than Phil.

"Yeah, we just need to get our girl and we'll get out of your hair" said Phil.

"What time did he say he was leaving?" asked Sig.

"His offload was just finished this morning, so they are just prepping. When they are done with that they are taking off" said Phil.

"Are you sure Jillian's ok" asked Josh suspiciously.

"She's fine" replied Sig.

Just then the air was split by the most horrific sound of pain any of the men in the wheelhouse had ever heard. It was ear piercingly, gut wrenchingly horrible and it sounded like Edgar.

"Oh Shit, I hope she didn't kill him" said Sig jumping out of his seat.

Sig managed to get to the door first followed immediately by Jake, Josh and Phil. They entered the room and found Edgar rolling around on the floor clutching his stomach, Jake laughing hysterically on Norman's bed and Jillian holding a piece of duct tape with a very smug smile on her face.

"What happened? Did you stab him?" asked Sig noticing Edgar's knife on the floor.

"No, I didn't stab him. Edgar was just demonstrating how duct tape works" said Jillian innocently.

Sig turned to face Jake who was now almost purple from laughing so hard.

"Oh my God. It hurts so bad" wailed Edgar from the floor.

"Don't be such a baby" chirped Jillian. "You didn't hear me cry when you did it to me."

"Is this some sort of who's tougher competition?" asked Phil.

"No" said Jillian.

Edgar had stopped rolling around on the ground and was looking up at Jillian through watery eyes. He knew this was a key moment for his survival. If Jillian chose to tell Phil and the boys what he'd done to her he would probably be getting an ass kicking on top of his impromptu duct tape waxing.

"What did happen?" asked Josh.

"Nothing I want to talk about. They know what they did, I exacted my revenge. It's all water under the bridge now" said Jillian matter of factly.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Phil. "We are leaving tonight so we need to get going."

"I'm ready. I just need my comforter" said Jillian.

"Where are your shoes?" asked Jake.

"I didn't come with any" said Jillian.

"I'll carry you" volunteered Jake.

"Thanks" said Jillian. "Jake, I'll return your clothes next time I see you."

"You can keep them as a souvenir" said Jake.

"Oh I've got my souvenir" said Jillian waving the piece of duct tape. "I'm thinking about getting it framed."

Jake burst out into peels of laughter falling back on Norman's bed clutching the stitch in his side. Sig leaned down to help Edgar off the floor, as Edgar moved Sig was able to see an angry red welt on his stomach. Suddenly everything fell into place and Sig realized what Jillian had done.

"Wow little brother, I hope that doesn't scar" said Sig pulling Edgar to his feet.

"Easily the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life. More painful than the hook to the head and the time you stitched me up with dental floss and no topical anesthetic" said Edgar.

"What did you do to deserve this?" asked Sig.

"I ripped the duct tape off her mouth pulling a layer of her lips off. She didn't even scream, not a peep" said Edgar. "She's fucking tough."

"I think Seattle may have heard you scream" said Sig with a chuckle.

"Fuck you" said Edgar laying down on his bunk.

"Don't get comfortable, we are leaving tonight" said Sig.

Edgar just moaned and covered his head with a pillow.

The Cornelia Marie crew was hustling to get everything ready to leave. Jillian worked as hard as she could making sure that the engine and all the machine components on the boat were in tip top working order. She was happy to be going back out, according to Phil there was a real possibility this could be the last trip, depending on fishing and delivery dates. Jillian emerged from the engine room and walked over to the railing. She gazed out at the setting sun, she said a quick prayer for a safe trip then turned to walk inside. She had almost made it to the door when Phil appeared on deck.

"Hey, are you ready to head out?" asked Phil.

"Yep, your engine is ready to go" said Jillian.

"Great. We may have to break some ice on the way out" said Phil.

"What?!" said Jillian in surprise. "This boat is not built for breaking ice."

"It's fine, we've done it before. The Retriever is leaving soon and it is built for busting up ice, and we are going to trail behind but we will probably run into a bit of its back flow. I just want to make sure that the engines are going to be up for bit of work" explained Phil.

"They will function fine if they are being used with in the parameters for which they were built. Anything else is a complete crap shoot" said Jillian.

"That's why we have you. To make sure the odds are in our favor" said Phil.

"I have no idea what you think I'll be able to do. If you blow out an engine then you have to head in for repairs. Unless you secretly have a spare engine on the boat somewhere" said Jillian looking around.

"You'll be able to fix anything" said Phil with an easy smile.

Jillian just shook her head and walked away. She thought Phil's plan was full of unnecessary risk, however he was the captain and it was his right to do what he wanted.

Jillian sat in the wheelhouse with the rest of the crew anxiously watching Phil trail the Retriever out of the harbor. The chunks of ice being broken by the Retriever were hitting the bow of the Cornelia Marie with bone jarring force. Jillian cringed each time she heard a piece of ice slip underneath the boat. In her minds eye she could see the ice hitting the propellor knocking it out of alignment. Her ears were attuned to every sound the boats engine made. She listened for anything out of place anything that sounded like the boat was straining. The trip out of the harbor took almost 2 hours and by the time they actually reached open water Jillian was physically sick because of the stress. Jillian stood up and walked downstairs carrying her bucket with her. She slipped on her jacket and walked outside to rinse out the bucket and get some much needed fresh air.

"Hey, are you feeling better?" asked Josh following her outside.

"Yeah, I've never been so happy to see open water in my life" said Jillian.

Josh took the bucket from her and washed it out dumping the contents over the side of the boat. Jillian sat down in one of the chairs and lit a cigarette. Josh joined her snagging a smoke from her pack.

"Do you want me to get the bucket? Just in case you feel sick?" asked Josh.

"No, I'll be able to make it to the rail" said Jillian with a small laugh.

"I'm glad you are feeling better" said Josh.

"I don't think I've ever been so stressed out in my life" said Jillian.

"I think my dad stresses enough for everyone on this boat, you should just leave it to him he's had years of practice" said Josh.

"I'll try to remember that next time" said Jillian.

"We have 10 hours to the grounds if you want to get some rest" suggested Josh.

"Yeah, I think I will. I'm exhausted" said Jillian.

They both got up and walked inside. Jillian changed into a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt before walking to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed her face before returning to her room and climbing into bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to everyone who's been reading and especially to those of you who take time out to review. Please remember that the following chapter is pure fiction and the lingo used and actions taken by the characters are just made up.

Phil smiled to himself as he wrote down the numbers from the last crab pot. He was on the crab and it was fantastic fishing. The only thing he could hope for was better weather, it seemed this year the crab grounds were being hit by storm after storm. The crews were working long hours in terrible conditions, the high crab counts kept everyone happy but eventually they would need a break. Phil planned to give his crew a much needed break at the end of this string. They were 10 pots into the 50 pot string and the crews moral seemed to be waning slightly. Phil wondered if a contest would maybe lift everyones spirits. He called down to the deck and watched as Jake walked over and picked up the phone.

"Yo" he said.

"Hey Jacob, lets see if Jillian's up for throwing the hook" said Phil.

"Um, Ok" said Jake.

Phil watched Jake walk over to where Jillian was and speak to her. Jillian glanced up at the wheelhouse then turned back to Jake. The talked some more before Jake shrugged and walked back to the phone.

"Well what did she say?" asked Phil anxiously.

"She said she's not in the mood" said Jake.

"Not in the mood? Tell her it wasn't a request" said Phil.

"Um, just to be fair she's not really herself today" said Jake.

Phil hung up the phone and picked up the hailer.

"Jillian, go throw the damn hook" he bellowed.

Jillian glared up at him from the deck below as she threw the cod she was holding back into the tote. She walked angrily to the rail and took the hook from Freddie's outstretched hand. Her arm dropped slightly at the heaviness of it. Phil watched as she got a quick tutorial from Freddie about how the throw should be done.

"Alright, next pot coming up. Lets see what you can do" announced Phil.

Phil slowed the boat and steered it as close to the buoy bags as he could. He wanted to make this as easy as possible for Jillian's first toss. Jillian watched the buoys listening intently to everything Freddie was telling her. She scooted back a little then took a little bit of a running start using the momentum to throw the hook into the water. The hook sailed through the air landing past the actual buoys.

"Ok Jillian, good throw, now pull it in" said Freddie.

Jillian pulled the rope hand over hand, she felt it hook the buoy bags which forced her to work even harder to pull the rope in. Phil had stopped the boat to give Jillian a fighting chance at actually getting the bags on board. She was struggling to pull the rope in and it probably wasn't improving her moral to be hit by the water splashing over the rail. He was starting to think this suggestion was a bad idea. Josh stepped up behind her and started to coil the line for the hook. Jillian grabbed the buoy and pulled it up onto the deck. Freddie showed Jillian how to put the line into the block and then into the coiler. Jillian watched the rope move through the block and the coiler she heard it straining. When the pot finally breached the surface it was full of crab. Jillian leaned over the rail and placed the picking hook into the bridle. Corey worked the hydros pulling the pot over the side, reaching up Jillian and Freddie managed to get the pot spun around and set into the launcher. Jillian climbed up and struggled to get the picking hook out and eventually managed to free it. She jumped back down and put the hook back where it belonged. Phil continued to drive the boat slowly giving Jillian a chance to practice throwing the hook. She did fairly well although she didn't manage to hook the buoys on the first try. Phil watched Jillian as she worked the rail, he noticed that she clutched her side a few times and he wondered what was hurting her. He decided to call it a day for Jillian's hook throwing after 10 pots.

"Ok Jillian, nice work. You can hand the hook off to Josh and we will see what he can do" said Phil over the hailer.

Jillian passed the hook to Josh and walked past the bait station and off deck. She was only gone a minute and quickly reappeared before the next pot came over the side. The crew eventually finished up the string and headed inside for a well deserved break.

Jake made a quick dinner and the crew ate mechanically. Jillian quickly finished her dinner and headed to the bathroom to take a hot shower. She was done washing her hair and her body but she was hesitant to get out of the comforting cocoon of warm water. The door of the bathroom opened and Jillian peaked her head out of the shower curtain to see who it was.

"Sorry to interrupt Jilly but Phil is waiting for you to take your turn at watch" said Corey.

"Thanks, I'll be out in a second" said Jillian.

As soon as Corey closed the door Jillian got out of the shower and dried herself off. She got dressed making sure to take note of the time then headed to the galley. Putting on a pot of water to boil she searched the cabinets for a cup and saucer. Jillian loved tea when she wasn't feeling well and it always had to be in a proper cup and saucer. She couldn't find one but decided to use a small plate and her regular mug as a substitute. Once her tea was brewed she added a judicious amount of honey before finally heading up to the wheelhouse.

Phil was exhausted physically and mentally. He was ready for a hot shower and to get a good night sleep. The only person between him and happiness was taking her sweet time getting there. Jillian appeared at the top of the stairs carrying a mug and a plate.

"Finally. What's with you today? I went down to dinner and you were already done" said Phil.

"I'm fine, just not really feeling great today" said Jillian.

The moments the words were out of her mouth she regretted saying them. Phil became instantly on edge.

"Is your arm hurting?" he asked.

"No" said Jillian. "I'm fine. Isn't it time for you to relinquish your chair?"

Phil stood slowly his eyes traveling up and down Jillian's body trying to determine what was wrong. The first thing he noticed was she was wearing sweat pants, a sweatshirt and socks. He'd never seen her up in the wheelhouse in so many clothes. Jillian set her drink down on the console and winced her hand moving automatically to her side.

"What's that all about? You were doing that all day while we were pulling pots" said Phil.

"It's really nothing, it will go away" said Jillian dismissively.

"You need to tell me what's going on. What if it gets more serious? I need to know what it is so I know if I need to call the Coasties" said Phil.

"Trust me, it's nothing that would require a coast guard rescue" said Jillian.

"Are you bleeding?" asked Phil suddenly.

"Yes" replied Jillian instantly then blushed furiously.

"Let me see" said Phil advancing on her.

"What?!" No!. It happens every month, don't worry about it" said Jillian.

Phil was about to protest Jillian's casual attitude to vital fluid loss when he realized what she'd said. His mouth snapped shut and he found himself staring dumbly at the floor. Jillian slid into Phil's chair and picked up her cup to take a soothing drink of tea.

"Well then, good night" said Phil as he walked down the stairs.

"Bye Captain" said Jillian.

Phil stood in the galley trying to collect himself after his conversation with Jillian. If this wasn't another reason why girls on boats were a bad idea he didn't know what was. He was mortified by the questions he'd asked Jillian, they were terribly personal. The whole exchange had reminded him of what a girl she was, that she was fundamentally different than himself and everyone else on the boat. He wondered if she found it overwhelming being surrounded by so many guys without another woman for support. For a brief moment he regretted bringing her not because she wasn't doing a good job but because he'd taken her away from everything she knew. His musings were cut short by Josh appearing in the galley.

"Hey dad, I thought you'd be asleep by now" said Josh.

"No, Jillian just got up there" said Phil distractedly.

"Yeah well, she probably deserves a little more space" said Josh sagely.

"Why's that?" asked Phil.

"Because she's having her period and is probably feeling a little uncomfortable being on a boat with a bunch of guys who have no idea what she's going through" said Josh.

"You knew?" asked Phil incredulously.

"Oh yeah, all the signs were there. Being grouchy, eating more chocolate plus Jake asked her for one of her candies yesterday and she tossed him one only if he promised to eat it in front of her" said Josh with a laugh.

Phil stared blankly at his son.

"They weren't candies they were tampons" explained Josh.

Phil nodded once then mumbled he was going to bed and left the galley. Josh shrugged, poured himself a cup of coffee and went up to see how Jillian was doing.

Jillian was sitting in the chair her legs pulled up underneath the sweatshirt. Her hand hovered over the throttle as she made small adjustments to the boats speed. She looked glanced over the monitors and saw Josh walking towards the bench seat.

"How are you doing?" asked Josh.

"I'm fine I guess. I just had a horribly embarrassing conversation with your dad" said Jillian.

"What happened?" asked Josh.

Jillian gave him a brief synopsis of what occurred.

"Well I suppose that would explain the dazed expression on his face when I saw him in the galley" said Josh.

"Great, he's going to have nightmares about me" said Jillian with a sad little laugh.

Josh watched as Jillian finished her drink then swirled the cup around before staring into it.

"What are you doing?" asked Josh.

"Looking at my tea leaves and trying to divine my future" said Jillian.

"What do they say?" asked Josh.

"They say that I should expect more work and pain" said Jillian.

"Let me see" said Josh.

Jillian handed him the cup and he looked pensively into the cup before setting it down.

"I think it says that you are going to survive this trip, get a nice check for all your hard work and take a fantastic vacation" said Josh.

"Really, I guess I need to brush up on my tea leaf reading" replied Jillian with a smile.

"Can I get you anything?" asked Josh.

"No, I think I'm fine" said Jillian.

"Are you sure, I was just going downstairs to liberate one of Freddie's snickers bars" said Josh conspiratorially.

"Snickers bar? Where have those been hiding?" asked Jillian.

"I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you" said Josh.

"I would love one or really just a bite of yours" said Jillian.

Josh smiled and disappeared down the stairs. Jillian turned back to the windows and watched the boat cut through the water. Josh came back upstairs and handed Jillian a king size snickers bar.

"Thanks, are you sure he's not going to miss two?" asked Jillian.

"He has a whole box of them, I doubt he'll run out" said Josh.

Jillian nodded, tore open the wrapper and took a bite of the candy bar. Her eyes fluttered closed and she let out a sigh of complete contentment. She and Josh chatted until both Jillian's and Josh's wheel watch times were over. Corey took over after Josh so he and Jillian finally went to lay down.

The next few days were spent on deck stuffing the boat tanks with crab. Jillian was completely exhausted after each shift on deck. The wear and tear on her body was starting to take it's toll. She wondered if she would ever wake up without pain again. The weather was terrible and the boat was being tossed in the heavy seas. The ice pack was coming down and had already covered a good portion of the northern fishing grounds. Jillian heard an alarm sound and quickly ran up to the wheelhouse.

"Jillian, we've got an engine alarm" said Phil. "Go check it out."

She suited up and headed across the slippery deck. She walked into the engine room and was shocked to see an inch of water on the floor. Walking carefully through the room she searched for the source of the water. She found water pouring out of the boats secondary bilge pump. Jillian pulled off her glove and slipped her hand into the water trying to pinpoint exactly where the breach in the pump had occurred. The constant sloshing of the boat made it impossible for her to tell where the water was originating from. Growling in frustration she stood up and shook the excess water from her hands. Walking over to the phone she called up to the wheelhouse to deliver the news.

"Jillian, what is it? The alarm won't stop ringing" said Phil.

"The primary bilge pump has failed for some reason and I think secondary pump is spewing out water. I need you to keep the boat from rocking so I can see where the water is coming from" said Jillian.

"Honey, it's blowing 80 out here, what do you expect me to do?" asked Phil.

"I don't care if you are getting blown up there, hold the boat steady so I can figure out what's going on or be prepared for the boat to sink. There's two inches of water covering the whole engine room floor and it's rising" said Jillian forcefully.

"Fine I'll do what I can, just fix the problem" said Phil.

Jillian hung up the phone and went back to the bilge pump. She felt Phil turn the boat away from the wind so it would settle slightly. Figuring this was the best it was going to beg she knelt down in the water and reached her hands into the pump again. This time the water was rushing less and she realized that the pump was probably clogged and that water was flowing out because it could no longer flow through the filter. It would be an easy fix if Jillian was in the safety of the harbor but out at sea stopping the bilge system would leave the boat without an emergency ballast system which could cause it to capsize. There was a way she could reroute the pumps but it would leave the crabs in uncirculated water for as long as it took her to finish the repair, which at this point could be hours. Jillian could do nothing until she talked to Phil.

Phil watched as Jillian emerged from the engine room and carefully picked her way across the deck. He wondered what the hell she was doing. Phil turned the second Jillian appeared in the wheelhouse.

"What's up? Did you fix it already?" asked Phil.

"I need to reroute the pumps, specifically I need to bypass the crab tanks. Basically as long as it takes me to fix the bilge system the crabs will be on their own" explained Jillian.

"Unacceptable. Those crabs need the water moved around or they will die" said Phil.

"If we don't fix the bilge pump system we are going to die. Make your choice the crab or your crew" said Jillian.

Phil stared at her completely horrified by the choice he had to make. The crew had worked so hard to get the catch and without the water circulating in the tanks at least some of the crab would undoubtably die. It could set off a chain reaction and there was a chance all the crab in the tanks could die.

"Can you take the water circulation from just one of the tanks?" asked Phil.

"Possibly. But it would be better if I could take it from all of them" said Jillian.

"How about you start with one and then if you need more stabilization you can pull from the others. The back two tanks are still pretty empty, start with those" said Phil.

"It's your boat so it's your decision" said Jillian.

Personally she didn't see how the money from the crabs was more important than the safety of the crew but what did she know. She moved to return to the engine room whens he felt Phil's hand on her arm.

"Listen, do what you need to do. We can always catch more" said Phil.

"I'll do my best to make it as painless for the crabs as possible" said Jillian.

"What can I do to help?" asked Phil.

"Keep the boat steady and avoid the waves" said Jillian.

"Anything that's not impossible?" quipped Phil.

"Nope. I'm going to take someone with me to the engine room" said Jillian.

"Ok. Take two in case you need to send someone up with a message" said Phil.

Jillian, Jake and Freddie were standing in now knee deep water working to fix the pumps. Jillian was working as fast as she could to fix the primary pump, once that was working properly she would be able to drain the water from the engine room and restart the tank circulation. She was soaked to the shoulders with water and her teeth were constantly chattering, yet she refused to take a break. This was life or death for everyone on the boat, including the crabs. Jake watched the water rising, he realized that he'd never felt like he was in danger on the boat until now. Freddie handed Jillian another tool and then casually asked her how it was going.

"It's a lot harder than I thought it would be. I need like 10 minutes without the water sloshing back into the pump" said Jillian.

"How can I make that happen?" asked Freddie.

"I have no idea" said Jillian sadly.

Freddie looked around for something to block the water from pouring back into the bilge. He found a couple of buckets and started to try to push the water away from the opening. Jillian kept working, she was praying she could fix this problem. When she'd started it had seemed like a pretty straightforward repair, now it was seemingly impossible.

"Jillian how about an update" echoed Phil's voice over the hailer.

"Tell him that I'm working as fast as I can, but I could use a smoother ride" said Jillian.

Jake picked up the phone and relayed the message.

"He said he would work on it" said Jake after hanging up the phone.

Jillian sighed as she climbed out of the hole she was working in. Once up she pulled off her rain gear.

"What are you doing? You are going to freeze" said Freddie.

"I need to get in as far as I can and I can't wearing all this stuff" said Jillian simply.

Jillian was just in sweats and a t-shirt by the time she got back into the opening. Her heart almost stopped as her body dipped into the freezing cold water.

"Jake, I'm going to get some dry towels for her when she gets out. Keep and eye on her" said Freddie.

Jake moved over to stand where Freddie had been. He peered through the opening of the access hatch and realized that Jillian was almost up to her neck in the cold water. She appeared to be kneeling on the pipes and her head had vanished into the pump mechanism. Jillian pulled back and looked up at Jake, her hair was wet and Jake realized at that moment that she was putting her head underwater to make the repair.

"I need a larger wrench" said Jillian.

Jake handed her the one she pointed to, as she took it he noticed her hands were almost blue. Jake said a quick prayer to protect Jillian and help her to do the repair as fast as possible. Jillian worked in the freezing water for another 20 minutes before she asked Jake to turn the pump on. The bilge pump belched once then came to life. Jillian watched the water recede disappearing back into the bilge system. Freddie pulled Jillian out of the hole and wrapped her in a dry towel. Jillian was shaking uncontrollably and her teeth were chattering so ferociously that Jake was sure she would crack her molars.

"JJJJake, I nnnnnneeed you tttto restart the tank circulation system" said Jillian.

"Roger, tell me what to do" said Jake.

Jillian explained each move and Jake followed her commands to the letter. The restarting of the tank circulation took a little longer than Jillian had hoped but she was confident that most of the crab on the boat had survived. A little over 3 hours since the initial alarm had gone off in the wheelhouse Jillian, Freddie and Jake emerged from the engine room. Phil watched Jillian start across the deck only to fall to her knees as the first wave crested the boat. He watched Freddie scoop her up into his arms and carry her like a rag doll.

"Corey, come take over. I want to get the final word on the repair from Jillian" said Phil getting out of the chair.

Phil rushed downstairs and found Jillian on the floor of the galley getting her clothes stripped off of her by Josh and Jake while Freddie stood by holding towels hot from the dryer.

"Why is she wet?" asked Phil.

"She was fixing the bilge pump while partially submerged in the water" explained Freddie.

"What? How long has she been in the water?" asked Phil.

"Probably close to an hour" said Jake.

"Don't put the hot towels on her yet, she needs her body to come back up to temperature slowly" said Phil.

"Well regardless we need to get her out of the wet clothes" said Josh.

"Jillian? Stay awake" said Phil.

"The boat should be fine. The crab tanks are circulating again, Jake turned on the pumps" mumbled Jillian.

Phil thought she sounded completely drunk, yet her words were clear.

"Why does she sound like that?" asked Josh.

"She's trying to keep her teeth from chattering by clenching her jaw" said Jake.

Josh managed to get all the wet clothes off of Jillian and Freddie covered her with a unheated towel.

"Ok, we need to keep her awake and warm her slowly. Lets move her to my room, she will have more room in there" said Phil.

Freddie picked up Jillian and carried her down the hall to Phil's stateroom. After laying her down on the bed Freddie went to sit with Corey in the wheelhouse. Jake and Josh got some clean clothes for Jillian and helped to dress her.

"Jillian, I hope you don't mind but the pajama pants don't match the sweatshirt" said Jake.

Jillian's head lolled in response but she said nothing. Phil sent Jake to make some soup for Jillian. Then he climbed into bed with her making sure to keep her close to his warm body. Jillian was having a hard time staying awake, her body felt like it was being pricked by thousands of needles, the pain was so great she just wanted to allow the pain to overwhelm her so it would end. Phil stroked Jillian's hair and whispered words of comfort to her. Josh sat on the edge of the bed holding Jillian's cold hand.

"Dad, I think she's asleep" said Josh.

"Ok, lets get her covered with a blanket, I'll stay with her for now" said Phil.

Josh covered his dad and Jillian with a couple of blankets before slowly walking out of the room. He joined Jake in the kitchen and helped prepare the dinner.


	10. Chapter 10

*Thanks to everyone who is reading and enjoying this story. Please continue to read and review.

Phil watched Jillian sleep, he snuggled her closer every time she shivered or twitched. Jillian sighed in her sleep and rolled over so she was facing Phil. Her cold arms moved against his chest and Phil was forced to suppress a shiver. Jillian kept moving trying to get more comfortable. Phil wondered if she'd ever stop fidgeting and just lay still. Finally Jillian settled down her leg insinuating itself between Phil's and her head resting on his outstretched arm. Phil draped his other arm around her and fell into a fitful sleep. Jillian was having some sort of a dream causing her to eyes to move under her eye lids and her lips to twitch down into frown. Phil was woken by her movements and lifted his head up so he could watch her. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her face was sad. Phil lifted a hand to her face and brushed the back of his knuckles down her cheek. Jillian appeared to be soothed by the action and Phil repeated it until she had settled back into sleep. Hours later Jillian moved again, this time Phil was in a deep sleep of his own. She rolled over tucking her hands beneath her head before moving her bottom back into Phil's groin. She snuggled in until she was completely flush with his entire body. Phil's arm unconsciously draped around her waist pulling her tight. They slept that way for a few more hours until Jillian began to stir. Phil's arm was still around her waist however his hand was cupping her breast and another part of his anatomy was poking insistently at her bottom. Jillian's eyes fluttered open and she took a cursory glance around the room. She reasoned she was in Phil's room because she was fairly certain she recognized the pile of clothes on the floor. The hand on her breast moved and she noticed it for the first time, next she wiggled her bottom and felt the tell tale of sign of Phil's morning erection poking her. Her moving woke Phil slightly, he was still on the edge of consciousness not fully awake but no longer asleep. Jillian continued to move her body grinding it slightly against Phil's body, his hand gave her breast a gentle squeeze causing Jillian to sigh. Phil's hand moved down her body lifting her shirt and stroking the bare flesh of her stomach gently before snaking back up to touch her bare breast. Now Jillian wasn't sure what to do, Phil's hand on her breast felt amazing but it certainly wasn't appropriate. Phil on the other hand was blissfully enjoying the feel of a warm soft boob filling his palm, he massaged it then started to pluck at the nipple smiling when he felt it harden with arousal. His hand moved across to treat the other breast to the same attention. Jillian found herself rolling slightly to give Phil better access to her other breast. After Phil had lavished attention on the second breast his hand moved south, passing over Jillian's stomach to the waist of her sweats. Slipping his hand beneath the waistband he splayed his hand flat across her abdomen. His fingers flitted across her skin causing her to break out in goosebumps. Phil's hands seem to still slightly at the hem of her underwear. Jillian didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. Phil's eyes fluttered open and for a moment he wondered who he was in bed with. It certainly wasn't his ex-wife, she was never this willing in the morning. He hoped it wasn't a fan, those relationships always seemed to turn strange. Then reality came rushing back, he was on the boat, in his bed, with Jillian. His hand snapped out of her pants like he'd been burned. Jillian didn't move, she realized Phil must have remembered where he was and who he was with. Deciding to make the morning just a bit more uncomfortable for Phil she stretched indecently rubbing herself against his erection with reckless abandon.

"Good Morning" she said sleepily.

Phil said nothing, he didn't know what he could say to explain his dick rubbing up against Jillian's ass crack or the fact that he'd just had his hand down her pants. Jillian didn't seem particularly bothered about what had happened, although Phil assumed it was because she'd just woken up.

"How are you feeling Jillian?" asked Phil his voice unnaturally husky.

"I feel fine. Toasty warm" said Jillian wiggling her butt against Phil.

Phil coughed slightly at the contact then tried to angle his groin away from Jillian but was prevented from going far because of the wall behind him. Just to add to the drama Jillian reached her hand behind her touching Phil's chest, then sliding it down to his stomach then slightly further. Her exploration of Phil's body was interrupted by the sound of the boat phone buzzing.

"Saved by the bell" muttered Phil before reaching over to pick up the phone.

Jillian was back at work on deck for the next string. Josh and Jake peppered her with questions about her night with their dad. Jillian gave as good as she got adding a few innuendo laced comments to her explanation of what happened.

"So, maybe you will be back next season" said Jake.

"No matter how much I like you guys and your dad there is no way I would ever do this again" said Jillian.

"Come on, you are getting a lot better at it, before long you'll be an expert just like us" said Josh.

"No thanks, I doubt I'll ever be fully dry again" said Jillian.

"Oh I can definitely help to keep you wet forever" said Jake with a leer.

"Really? I bet your dad could do it better" quipped Jillian before walking back to the bait station.

"Did she really say what I think she just did?" said Jake in shock.

"I think she did" said Josh.

Both Jake and Josh looked up at their dad in the wheelhouse. He looked back down at them and smiled.

"He seems happy today" remarked Josh.

"Yeah, but not I just banged a really hot girl in my stateroom happy" said Jake.

"What would that look like?" asked Josh.

Jake was interrupted by Phil's voice over the hailer telling them to get back to work.

"Happier than that" said Jake.

The rest of the day passed in a flurry of wind and snow. Jillian tried her hand at the hook again, she was getting the hang of putting the line in the block, but she still wasn't near as fast as the rest of the guys. Phil watched her amusement showing on his face, his thoughts centered around what a cool girl she was.

"Hey Phil, will you be able to tell me when we will be heading in to offload" asked Todd from behind the camera.

"I don't know Todd, we will go in when the tanks are full" said Phil. "Why?"

"Because I need to do some interviews with Jillian about recent events" said Todd.

"Has she done any interviews with you yet?" asked Phil.

"Not really. She kind of avoids us in that respect. But we have gotten what we think is a lot of great footage with her interacting with everyone on the boat" said Todd with a smile.

"Well I'm sure she will be easier on the eyes than the rest of us" said Phil.

"Yeah, especially in all the sleepwear she likes to walk around in" said Todd.

Phil smiled and nodded before turning back to look at Jillian on deck. He wondered what the catch audience would think of Jillian. It seemed like Todd would use a significant amount of footage of her.

Pulling the final string of the season was exciting for the crew. Jillian was at the rail throwing the hook. There was a bet that she couldn't hook the next 10 buoys by the 5th throw. Jillian was motivated, if she lost she had to buy every single person on the boat a case of beer and do a full interview in front of the cameras. Todd had already cornered her last night asking her for a quick interview about the repairs she did on the boat, she told him what she'd done in the least amount of words possible which left him unsatisfied. The boat was approaching the next set of bags and Jillian got ready to throw. As she chucked the hook over the side she was relieved when it hooked the rope on the first try. Freddie let out a whoop as she pulled the first bag over the side.

"Alright, well that's just one. She still has 9 more to go" said Phil over the hailer. Jillian's luck took a nose dive after that first throw, the rest she barely managed in 5 throws and on the 7th set of bags she didn't hook them until her 8th throw. The guys on deck were thrilled about their impending case of beer. Todd was dancing a jig in the wheelhouse over the interview Jillian was finally going to give him. Josh took over throwing the hook for the final 20 pots. Once the last tote was emptied into the tank the crew secured the deck and headed inside.

Jillian walked in almost running into Todd who was waiting for her inside the ready room. She pushed passed him and removed her gear. Todd filmed everyone changing before moving back down the hallway to make some room for everyone to maneuver.

"Todd, can I at least take a shower before you start asking me questions?" asked Jillian.

"No way, Jillian do the interview when you are all sweaty and gross it will be more realistic" said Freddie mussing her hair as he walked behind her.

"Either way is fine with me" said Todd. "But if you do shower can you change into some pajamas."

"Why?" asked Jillian suspiciously.

"For continuity" replied Todd.

"I'll think about it" said Jillian.

She pushed her way past Todd and down the hallway to the shower. If she was going to be on TV the least she could do is be clean. After her shower she changed into a pair of pajamas and a tank top. She grabbed the Northwestern sweatshirt and headed up to the wheelhouse to find Todd, she wanted to get this interview over and done with. Todd was in the wheelhouse doing a captain's interview with Phil. Jillian slipped into the portside chair and lit a cigarette. She wondered where she would be doing this in depth interview and who else would be in the room. Todd finished up with Phil and told Jillian he'd be back after he switched tapes.

"So Jillian, what are you going to say in your interview?" asked Phil.

"I don't know, I guess it depends on what Todd asks me" replied Jillian.

"When you see yourself on the show you probably won't remember half the stuff you say in the interviews. At least that's how it goes on this boat" said Phil.

"Do you watch the show when you are at home?" asked Jillian.

"Yeah. I like to see what the other boats did during the season and of course to see what I said during the interviews" said Phil.

"I guess I'll have to set my DVR to record it" said Jillian. "Although I doubt I'll be on very much."

"Why do you say that?" asked Phil.

"Because I was only here for part of the season. I would think they would want to keep continuity with the crews" said Jillian.

"Maybe, although a girl on the show will probably be a big draw" said Phil.

"Who knows" said Jillian with a shrug.

"By the way, I can't believe that you are wearing that sweatshirt on my boat" said Phil.

"I don't have a Cornelia Marie one to wear" said Jillian.

"Hm, we'll have to fix that" said Phil.

Todd stood across from Jillian adjusting the camera before moving in front of her and handing her a mic. Jillian stared at it for a moment before clipping it to her tank top. Todd had been thrilled to see Jillian's outfit, pajama pants and a tank top, nothing could be better.

"Ok Jillian, what has been the most challenging part of working on the Cornelia Marie" asked Todd.

"I suppose it's the constant pain. That every single part of my body is constantly hurting. At least if I get sore at Magone's I can take a day off. There are no days off on a boat" replied Jillian.

"Would you come back for another season if you were asked?"

"No, this is my one and only trip" said Jillian.

The questions continued about day to day life on the boat, what Jillian's favorite meals were, what she was most looking forward to back in Dutch, and what she missed most from home.

"I miss not moving constantly the most. Being on stable ground without any rocking" replied Jillian.

"Do you think you will miss anything about fishing when you go back to your other job?" asked Todd.

"I'll miss the people, the fact that when I'm not on deck I get to wear my pajamas all the time" said Jillian pensively. "I won't miss the smell in here, the people at home are lucky you don't film in smellovision."

Todd laughed quietly then thanked Jillian for the interview. She asked him what he was looking forward to doing when they got to port. His answer, sending in his tapes.

"When will this season be on tv?" asked Jillian.

"It will probably start in late June" said Todd. "But it will start with Red Crab season then Opies. This part will probably start to air in August."

"I hope everything goes well with your parts, maybe you will get a promotion or something" said Jillian.

"I like what I do, I wouldn't want to work in an office back in LA. This is where the action is, this is adventure" said Todd fervently.

"I suppose you would have to be just as insane as the people you film" said Jillian with a smirk.

"Come on, you have a bit of the insanity too" said Todd.

"I don't think so" said Jillian.

"Are you kidding, you were underwater fixing a pump a few days ago, that is insane" said Todd.

"No, that is work. It needed to be fixed and I fixed it" said Jillian simply.

"A normal person would have told Phil to go back to St. Paul" said Todd.

"Really?" said Jillian pensively. "You are probably right. I'll remember that for next time."

"See you will be back" said Todd. "You said next time."

Jillian's face morphed into something resembling steely determination.

"I will not be back" said Jillian.

"If you say so" said Todd.

"Well since we are done here, I'm going to get some ice cream" said Jillian. "That's another thing I'll miss. Eating whatever I want and never gaining a pound. I think I've actually lost weight on this trip."

"We should weigh you and find out how much you've lost" suggested Todd.

"Yeah, women would flock to Dutch to try to get on boats so they could start the Bearing Sea diet" said Jillian with a laugh.

"Oh that would be something" said Todd.

"Can you imagine seeing Sig at the dock surrounded by a bunch of women wanting to get on his boat?" said Jillian.

"He wouldn't know who to yell at first" said Todd.

"Now that would make amazing TV" said Jillian.

The boat pulled into St. Paul for it's final offload. Jillian pulled on her gear and walked out on deck. Freddie was unscrewing the bolts on the crab tanks while Corey worked the hydros to lift the tank covers. The writhing mass of crab was revealed and the workers from the processing plants quickly jumped down to start filling up the brailers. Jillian stood back holding the clipboard in her hand waiting for the first brailer to be lifted. Heaters had been brought in to blow warm air into the tanks to keep the crabs from popping their legs. A soft snow began to fall as the first brailer was hoisted out of the tank, it was going to be a slow offload. The crew took turns on deck writing down the weights and monitoring the processors. Jillian passed off the clipboard to Freddie before heading inside to defrost a little and grab a snack. The moment she left the deck Jake and Josh walked up to Freddie.

"So, when do you want to dunk her?" asked Jake.

"I think right after the offload is done. We don't want her escaping" said Freddie with a laugh.

"Hopefully she will stay for the whole offload this time, not go flitting off to help the other boats" said Josh.

"Shit, I forgot that happened last time. I guess we should tell your dad we want to dunk her so he can help keep her on the boat" said Freddie.

"Good plan. I'll go tell him" said Jake.

"Make sure Jillian isn't around when you do" called Josh at Jake's retreating back.

Jillian was enjoying a hot cup of coffee and a chocolate donut in the blessedly quiet galley. She'd seen Jake walk past her to the wheelhouse a few minutes ago and then heard Phil laughing. She wondered what they were talking about but didn't really have the energy to go investigate. Her time aboard the Cornelia Marie was winding to a close and Jillian was already starting to make plans for her life back on land. Her first plan was to take a vacation somewhere warm where tropical drinks were plentiful. She would have to call her uncle Walt and see how work was going and tell him she was going on vacation. She needed to thaw out, all this time on the Bearing Sea had turned her blood to ice.

"Hey, whatcha thinking about?" asked Jake.

"Where I should go on vacation" replied Jillian.

"Oh yeah? Where are you thinking about going?" asked Jake.

"Somewhere hot, really hot so I can defrost" said Jillian. "Are you going anywhere?"

"Um usually I just go home and rest. We only really get a little time off before tendering season starts" explained Jake.

"I guess I should check on my place, but really all I want is to sit in a very hot bathtub until I defrost" said Jillian.

Jake smiled at the visual of Jillian naked in a bathtub.

"Are we dropping you in Dutch after the offload?" asked Jake.

"You better be, I've been on this boat long enough. I can't wait to be on solid ground permanently" said Jillian.

"You'll be constantly swaying for at least a couple days when you get back" said Jake.

"Fantastic" said Jillian glumly.

"You could always go on a cruise for vacation, then no one would really notice the swaying" said Jake helpfully.

"No boats again ever" said Jillian.

"It was just a suggestion" said Jake with a smile.

"Thanks but no thanks" said Jillian.

"Well I guess before we start picking out our next vacation destination we should finish this offload" said Jake standing up.

Jillian followed Jake back on deck slipping on just her rain jacket. Outside the front two tanks were empty and the workers were now diligently working to quickly empty the back tanks. Phil was watching the offload outside with Freddie and Corey. Jillian walked over narrowly missing a spray of water aimed at her by Josh from the tank below.

"Don't come over here if he's going to keep trying to get you wet" said Phil.

"I'm going to use you as my personal shield" said Jillian cowering behind Phil.

"Bad idea" said Freddie. "Phil will be the first person to throw you into that tank."

Jillian looked around Phil's arm with big sad eyes. Phil smiled softly at her before grabbing her by the arms. Jillian's face melted from coquettish to fearful in an instance. Phil managed to lift her off the ground by her upper arms and carried her over to the edge of the tank dangling her slightly over the edge.

"Hey Josh, how about a free shot" called Phil.

"Awesome, hold her still" said Josh.

He aimed the hose over the edge of the tank trying to get Jillian's pant covered legs. However, the moment he raised the hose Jillian raised her legs wrapping them around Phil's waist. All Josh managed to do was get his dad's legs wet.

"Hey, that is not fair" said Phil.

He couldn't let go of Jillian's arms without her falling so he was unable pull her legs from around his waist. Not that he really wanted to, the pressure of her legs around him felt wonderful. Josh aimed the hose again this time trying to get Jillian's head. As if she knew when it was coming she buried her head in Phil's neck and he got a face full of salt water. Jillian did not escape unscathed as the water dripped onto her from Phil's face, but it was still better than being hit full force. Phil was livid and had he not had an arm full of Jillian he would have jumped into the tank and given Josh a severe beating.

"Oh my God, I can't believe you just did that" said Jake looking between Josh and his dad.

"You are very lucky my hands are full right now, because your ass would be grass if they weren't" said Phil.

"Jillian, don't let go" called Josh.

Jillian smiled into Phil's neck then kissed the soft skin of his throat before pulling her head back and unwrapping her legs from his waist. Phil reluctantly set Jillian on the ground. He wondered if the kiss had been deliberate. He fought to keep his hands by his side instead of letting one reach up to touch the spot Jillian had kissed. He watched Jillian walk over to Freddie and take the clipboard from him. She tallied the next brailer weight on the paper before sitting down on an overturned tote. Phil watched her for a few more minutes before he finally convinced himself he needed to go inside before he did something foolish, like going over and giving Jillian a proper kiss.

The offload was finished and Phil had just returned from the processor with the check. Jillian was inside the last crab tank helping Jake spray it clean. Phil glanced over the lip of the tank and gave Jake the signal.

"Alright Jillian, we're pretty much done in here. Do you want out first or second?" asked Jake.

"I don't care. Second" replied Jillian.

The rope was lowered into the tank Jake slid his foot through the foot hold and was hoisted out of the tank. A moment later the same rope was lowered for Jillian. She was hoisted up just like Jake except instead of being set on the deck the rope was moved over the water of the harbor. Jillian looked at all the guys watching from the deck of the boat. It became clear that this was some sort of boat initiation.

"So Jillian, we are going to give you a Bearing Sea Baptism" said Phil with a smile.

"Is this because you got wet earlier? Because I did not spray you with the hose, if anyone should be out here it's Josh" said Jillian.

"Oh I've already had this done to me" said Josh.

Jillian frowned angrily before tilting her chin up in acceptance of her punishment. Phil thought she looked a bit like royalty, proud, strong and beautiful.

"Alright Corey, drop her in" said Phil.

Corey slowly lowered the crane sending Jillian closer and closer to the water. It was still below freezing in St. Paul so there were a few chunks of ice floating around in the water. Jillian hoped one would be close enough for her to rest her feet on. However, she wasn't in luck and her boots hit the water. Corey continued to dunk her until the water was up to her knees. The water poured into her boots soaking her socks and the bottom part of her pants. She could feel the water being absorbed by her pants, cold water climbing up past her knees to her thighs.

"Jillian are you underwear wet yet?" asked Josh.

"If I say yes will you pull me up?" asked Jillian.

"We'll need to see proof" said Jake.

"Yes, my underwear is wet" said Jillian.

Corey hoisted her out of the water and set her gently on the deck. Jillian stepped away from the rope giving it a none to gentle kick with her boot before walking inside. The rest of the guys followed her and watched intently as she removed her water filled boots and rain gear. They saw that her sweats were wet and smiled. Jillian didn't even bother to look at them, she merely pulled off the sweats and tossed them to Jake before walking down the hall in just her underwear. The guys didn't say a word, most of them stood slack jawed but Phil smiled admiringly at Jillian's swaying bottom as she walked down the hall.

The crew arrived in Dutch harbor and Jillian was thrilled to see her uncle Walt waiting for her on the dock. The news of the Cornelia Marie's arrival spread throughout the small community. Everyone was interested to see how Jillian had done on the boat. Phil and the guys had one final dinner to make in honor of Jillian's survival of the trip. Jillian was happy at the thought but she was so completely over the rocking of the boat she convinced Jake that making the meal at her place was a better idea. She wrote directions to her house on the white board in the kitchen before grabbing her gear and heading home. It had been almost 2 months since she'd been home and she hoped the house was fit for visitors. Jillian made a few quick stops on the way home, the first was to drop her uncle off at Magone's. She picked up her paycheck and gave a rough estimate of when she would return to work. Walt told her to take as much time as she needed, that her job would be waiting for her when she got back. The next stop was the grocery store, she picked up a couple cases of beer, some whiskey and a few bottles of Patron. If she was having people over she might as well make it a real party.

Jillian walked into her apartment and took a tentative sniff of the air. Other than smelling a bit stale there were no undertones of rotting food or soiled laundry. Jillian put her purchases in the fridge to chill before she started to clean her house. She'd just taken out her last bag of trash when Jake and Josh arrived at her door.

"Hey Jillian, we brought the food" said Jake.

"Come on in, I just finished cleaning up" said Jillian.

Jake and Josh walked into her apartment, they were both surprised at the simpleness of the decor. There were no decorative throw pillows or girly knick knacks covering her bookcases, in fact the only thing in the bookcases were books. Josh went up and perused the titles, noting she had very classic taste in reading material.

"Jake, here is the kitchen. Help yourself to whatever you want from the fridge. I'm going to go take a shower" said Jillian.

Jake and Josh both watched her walk up the stairs then immediately opened the fridge.

"Wow, she totally stocked up" said Jake grabbing a beer.

"Hand me one" said Josh.

Jake and Josh took their beers into the living room and sat down on Jillian's sofa. Josh picked up the remote and turned on the TV. Flipping through the channels they settled on some MTV dating show with hot girls in bathing suits.

Jillian turned on her shower figuring it would take a while for the water to heat up. She was mildly surprised as the water first ran out brown, then rust and finally clear. Walking back into her bedroom she opened her closet doors and stared at her limited wardrobe. Pulling out a sweater and a cute skirt she laid them on the bed along with a pair of underwear and a bra. Testing the water in the shower before climbing in she adjusted it a little warmer than brushed her teeth. Stripping off her clothes she finally got into the shower her tired body relaxing under the pulsing spray. Jillian washed her hair 4 times before finally putting in her favorite conditioner. Her soapy hands slid over her body washing off the 6 weeks of dirt and grime collected from the trip. Although she'd showered while on the boat she'd never felt clean. Picking up a new razor she gingerly shaved her armpits and legs smiling at how good it felt to be clean. She stayed in the shower for a few more minutes before realizing she left Jake and Josh unsupervised.

Phil stood on the doorstep with the Northwestern crew wondering if maybe he should have told Jillian a few more people were coming. He had no idea how big her place was but chances are it was going to be a bit of a squeeze with both crews. He knocked at the door and was mildly surprised when Josh answered it.

"Hey dad, hey guys. Come on in" said Josh. "Drinks are in the fridge."

"Where is Jillian?" asked Phil.

"Taking the worlds longest shower" said Jake from the couch.

"I don't blame her, that's the first thing I like to do when I get home" said Sig.

"I'll go check on her" said Edgar.

"Not a chance" replied Phil. "She'll be down when she's ready."

"Grab a beer our of the fridge or she got Crown and Tequila" said Jake.

"Sounds like she knows what we like" replied Phil walking to the kitchen.

He opened her cabinets and pulled out a couple of rocks glasses before filling them with ice and Crown. He handed one to Sig and kept the other for himself. Edgar grabbed himself a coke out of the fridge while Norman, Jake Anderson, Matt and Nick all had a beer. Everyone found a place to sit whether it was on the floor or an actual piece of furniture and settled in to watch TV. Jillian walked down into her living room mildly surprised at the sheer number of people that were huddled around her television set.

"What is the spice channel having a free preview?" she asked.

"Wow, Jillian you look like a real girl" said Edgar.

"I think what my brother meant to say is you look very pretty" said Norman.

"Thanks. It's nice to look like a real girl with shaved legs and blown out hair" replied Jillian.

She walked into the kitchen and found Sig and Phil huddled around the bottle of Crown discussing the season. Jillian poured herself a drink before digging around in the box of food Jake and Josh had arrived with. Finding some snacks she poured them into appropriate vessels and set them on the counter.

"Come on Jillian, I know it's your house but we are here to make you dinner" said Phil pulling her into his lap. Jillian smiled and took a sip of her drink before snagging a potato chip out of the bowl.

"So you survived the season" said Sig.

"I did and I pray I will never have to go out on another one" replied Jillian.

"Why not, from what Phil said you did really well" said Sig.

"There are so many reasons, I told them all to Todd the other day" said Jillian.

"You told the camera guy? I can't wait to see that on the show" said Sig.

"It probably won't even make it through editing" said Jillian dismissively.

"It'll make the show" said Phil confidently.

"What makes you say that?" asked Sig.

"Because she did the interview in her pajamas" said Phil.

"The same pajamas she wore on my boat?" asked Sig.

"Same top, long pants though" said Phil.

"It will definitely make the show" said Sig.

Jillian rolled her eyes and climbed off of Phil's lap. She'd heard enough talk about the show for one day.

Dinner was a raucous affair and Phil had been right about it being a tight squeeze but everyone got something to eat even if they were eating off of saucers instead of plates. The tequila shots had started after dinner and Jillian was very happy the only place she had to go at the end of the night was upstairs. Matt had started a game of truth or dare and convinced Jillian to play.

"I dare you to sing for us" said Jake Anderson.

"Pick something else" said Jillian.

"Ok, how about you give Edgar a lap dance" said Jake A.

Jillian had studiously avoided close contact with Edgar all night. She knew he was planning his revenge and she didn't want to make it too easy for him.

"Fine, I'll sing" said Jillian.

She walked over to the entertainment cabinet and pulled out a small karaoke machine.

"How did you know she had one of those" asked Josh.

"I didn't" said Jake A.

"What are you going to sing for us Jillian" asked Phil.

He and Sig were still perched on the bar stools in the kitchen. They'd polished off the bottle of Crown and were now working through a bottle of 10 year old scotch they found in the liquor cabinet.

"I was thinking a little Aerosmith" said Jillian.

This announcement was made with much approval from her audience. Jillian belted out her version of Dream On. When she was finished she received a round of applause from everyone in the room.

"Who knew little Jillian could sing" said Sig.

"She's full of hidden talents" mused Phil.

"Any hidden talents you've discovered?" asked Sig.

"I don't know how hidden it is, but she's willing to do what ever it takes to get the job done. She was submerged in freezing cold water for almost an hour while fixing my bilge pump" said Phil.

"What? You never told me about that" said Sig.

Phil spent the next few minutes explaining in detail how Jillian had managed to do the impossible. Sig's respect for Jillian as a engineer grew exponentially.

"It's a shame she doesn't like being a crabber, she'd be a great asset to any boat" said Sig.

"Except yours" said Phil.

"Why would you say that?" asked Sig.

"Because she's a girl and there are no girls on the Northwestern" said Phil simply.

"For her, I'd make an exception" said Sig.


	11. Chapter 11

Edgar watched Jillian like a hawk looking for the perfect time to exact his revenge. His hair still hadn't grown back properly and he feared what his wife was going to say about the bald patch on his stomach. He and Norman had spent many nights discussing their options. Norman wasn't really a willing participant but since he did share a room with Edgar he was forced to hear all about the plans. The last one he'd thought of before the boat headed back to Dutch was to tie her down and shave her head. Seeing Jillian's pretty hair tonight made that plan seem all the more interesting.

"I hope you aren't plotting" said Norman sitting down next to Edgar at the table.

"Just thinking" said Edgar.

"Thinking about shaving her head?" asked Norman.

"Maybe. It wouldn't be too hard and the hair would grow back" said Edgar.

"I think you should pick something else because if you shave her head what is she going to do to you in retaliation" said Norman.

"Nothing, I'll be home safe and sound all the way in Seattle" said Edgar.

"I don't think Canada will keep her from getting you back" said Norman.

Edgar thought about Norman's point for a moment before moving on to plan B.

"Alright Jillian, I think you and I have some unfinished business to attend to" said Edgar to himself.

He walked into the kitchen and snagged the bottle of tequila. Opening the cabinet he found a small collection of shot glasses and brought them down. Lining them up he filled each one to the brim with the potent liquor.

"Shot time" he announced.

Edgar passed out the shots making sure everyone who wanted one got one. Phil watched wearily from the kitchen with Sig. He was sure Edgar was up to something but he still hadn't figured out what it could possibly be. Even Sig had admitted he was at a loss as to what Edgar was planning for his revenge. Jillian tilted the shot into her mouth and Phil watched as her delicate throat swallowed. She looked so different from how she'd looked on the boat, she was sexier, more alluring, she looked like a woman. Phil shook his head and took another sip of his drink.

Edgar sloshed more Patron into Jillian's shot glass, his goal was to get her nice and pliable. The only problem was getting Jillian to actually drink the shots. She was being passed around like a dooby moving from one lap to another chatting and talking to everyone. As he followed her around he noticed how much she worked the room, she knew what everyone was drinking, the names of everyone's family members and she always listened to the other person's stories with genuine interest. As Jillian moved back into the kitchen Edgar caught her by the arm.

"No more tequila Edgar" said Jillian moving her shot glass to the sink.

Edgar picked her up setting her on the counter next to the stove.

"How do you have such a good memory?" he asked.

"What?" asked Jillian confused.

"You remembered Nick's kids names, where Norman likes to go ride horses, what Sig's favorite Christmas dinner is. How do you do that?" asked Edgar.

"By listening" said Jillian. "I've always had a knack for remembering things. It's probably why I'm good at fixing engines, I can picture what it should look like in my mind and see what's not the same when they're broken."

"You sure you don't have notecards hidden on you?" asked Edgar.

His hands slid up her legs pretending to feel for hidden cards. Jillian shrieked with laughter and tried to push Edgar's hands away. Her reaction made Edgar burrow his hands even deeper eventually settling them on her waist and tickling her mercilessly.

"I swear Edgar if you don't stop I'm going to pee on you" said Jillian.

"Really? Maybe I'm into that sort of thing" said Edgar.

Jillian's head snapped up and she stared into Edgar's eyes trying to deduce the truthfulness of his statement. Edgar saw that look and immediately pulled his hands out from under her skirt.

"You can't really think I'm into that?" asked Edgar.

"No, but it got you to stop didn't it" said Jillian hoping off the counter.

"I didn't really take you as one who enjoyed golden showers" said Norman leaning against the counter. "I think I'm going to ask Sig to switch bunks with me. I don't want you peeing on me while I sleep or would you want me to pee on you."

Norman was able to duck Edgar's clumsy swing and walked briskly out of the kitchen.

"I'm definitely shaving her head tonight and Norman's. Maybe I'll go big and do everyones" mumbled Edgar to himself.

Norman flopped down on Jillian's bed waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. He made himself comfy on her down comforter and looked around her room. It was simply decorated like the rest of her place. The room was dominated by the bed Norman was currently laying on, he estimated three people could easily sleep in it comfortably. He wondered idly how many people had slept in it. His musing was cut short by Jillian emerging from the bathroom.

"Hi Norman" she said flopping down on the bed next to him.

"Hey, I came to warn you that Edgar's out for blood" said Norman.

"I kind of figured" said Jillian. "What is he going to do to me?"

"Last I heard he wants to shave your head" said Norman.

"You can't be serious. I'd look terrible bald" said Jillian running her fingers through her hair.

"I'm sure you'd look just as pretty without hair as you do with hair" said Norman soothingly.

"That's a nice thing to say but it's totally crap" said Jillian.

"I'm sure you can avoid him now that you know what's coming" said Norman.

"I've been doing that all night" said Jillian.

"Well good luck" said Norman getting up off the bed.

"Thanks, I'm going to need it" said Jillian glumly.

After Norman left the room Jillian walked into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her hair untangling the edges until it laid straight. She was imagining what she would look like with no hair when the scourge of her existence walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Hello Jillian" said Edgar.

"Oh shit" said Jillian.

"My delicate ears, hearing such disgusting words from such a pretty mouth" said Edgar.

"Don't shave my head" pleaded Jillian.

"Who told you that was what I was going to do" said Edgar.

Jillian just shook her head, she didn't want to get Norman in trouble. Edgar seemed to be searching for something as he looked around the room. Jillian suddenly realized what he was looking for and smiled.

"If you are looking for clippers I don't have any" said Jillian.

"I could always shave it with this" said Edgar pulling her razor out of the shower.

Jillian looked from the razor to Edgar's face and back before breaking into peels of laughter.

"It would take you forever" said Jillian.

"It would be worth the patience" said Edgar.

"I don't understand why you think you have a reason to want revenge. The duct tape was my revenge for getting duct taped. So really we're even" said Jillian.

"Even?! You're kidding right. I'm still missing hair" said Edgar pulling up his shirt.

"You pulled off an entire layer of my lips" said Jillian.

She walked forward and leaned down to examine Edgar's duct tape injury. Her fingers ran over the bare skin before using her finger nails to rake the other hair down over the bald spot.

"Look it doesn't look so bad now" said Jillian.

Edgar moved to stand in front of the mirror and examined her handy work. He had to admit it did look better but not perfect.

"Even this stupid comb over doesn't bring the hair back" said Edgar.

"Maybe Louise will like it, maybe she'll want you to get the whole thing waxed" suggested Jillian.

Edgar gave her a look of disbelief before advancing on her. Jillian tried to turn and run for the door but he caught her by the arm before she'd even taken a step.

"It's time to pay the piper" said Edgar.

He threw Jillian over his shoulder and walked downstairs.

Everyone sitting in the living room looked up as Edgar walked downstairs with Jillian swung over his shoulder. Jillian for her part was struggling valiantly but Edgar had no plans on relinquishing his hold on her.

"Edgar, what are you going to do to her" asked Jake.

"I was going to shave her head" said Edgar. "But she doesn't have clippers. So I'm going to do the next best thing."

Edgar walked down the rest of the stairs and turned towards the door. Everyone in the room got up and followed Edgar outside. Jillian reached down and grabbed the waist of Edgar's pants forcing them down as far as she could get them. Lucky for her all they needed was to slip down his hips before gravity did the rest. Unfortunately the dropping of his pants caused Edgar to stumble which dislodged Jillian from her perch on his shoulder sending her to the snowy ground with a thud.

"Jillian, I'm totally going to kill you" said Edgar.

He stood up and pulled his pants up. Jillian however was in no mood for anything since she was sitting in a wet pile of snow in nothing but a skirt and t-shirt. Her underwear was soaked and she was fairly certain the skirt was ruined beyond repair.

"You Edgar Hansen are a dead man" said Jillian scrambling to her feet.

Edgar and Jillian advanced on each other in a tangle of limbs. Jillian was the first to land an opened palm smack on Edgar's butt.

"Oh is that how you want to play" said Edgar.

He sat down in the snow pulling Jillian over his lap, he flipped up her skirt and landed two hard smacks on her exposed bottom.

"Fuck, that hurts" said Jillian struggling to move.

"You deserve them" said Edgar smacking her again.

"I do not. You just dropped me in the snow, you pulled my lips off with duct tape, and you are showing my ass to everyone" yelled Jillian.

"It looks good Jillian, especially all nice and pink" said Matt.

"Ok, Edgar, lets settle down" said Sig walking over to where they were.

He leaned down and flipped Jillian's skirt down to cover her now enflamed ass. Next he pulled Jillian off of Edgar's lap. As a parting shot Jillian shoved Edgar hard in the chest and he fell back into the snow.

"Alright Jillian. If you aren't going to play nice I'm going to give you back to him" said Sig.

"Fine" said Jillian angrily. "Edgar you are an asshole."

"Yeah, well you..."

Edgar stopped, cut off by the stern looks covering everyone's faces.

"....are a good sport for not crying" finished Edgar.

Jillian walked with as much dignity as she could muster back into the house. She grabbed a bottle of Patron off the counter and walked up the stairs.

Phil walked up the stairs about an hour later to check on Jillian. Everyone had heard the water running and assumed she was warming up in the shower. However, it had been a fairly long time and Phil wanted to make sure she wasn't drowning herself in the tub. Rounding the corner into her bedroom Phil took a moment to look around. Jillian's wet clothes littered the floor but other than that the room was clean and empty. He walked into the bathroom and was treated to an amazing site. Jillian was in a steamy bathtub her head laid against the edge, eyes closed and a small smile on her lips. In that moment Phil thought she was the most beautiful creature on earth.

"Edgar Hansen, if you even think of taking another step I'm going to rip your balls off and make them into European Carry Alls for Sig and Norman" said Jillian not bothering to open her eyes.

"Lucky for me, I'm not Edgar" said Phil.

Jillian's eyes opened wide in shock and she glanced over her shoulder to see Phil standing in the middle of her bathroom.

"Hi" she said shyly.

"Hi. I just wanted to make sure you were ok" said Phil. "You've been up here for a while."

"I guess I should get out, the water isn't very warm anymore" said Jillian looking at her wrinkled fingers.

Phil stepped forward holding a towel in his hands. Jillian stood up and Phil wrapped the towel around her body tucking in the trailing end before helping her out of the tub. They stood very near each other for a moment before Phil took a step backwards. Jillian reached up and pulled out the clip holding her hair up causing her hair to tumble down her shoulders.

"You have beautiful hair" said Phil. "It's a good thing Edgar didn't have a chance to shave your head."

"I'm glad too. I would probably look terrible bald" said Jillian.

"I don't think you could ever look terrible" said Phil curling his finger through a strand of Jillian's hair.

Jillian turned around and gave Phil a sweet kiss on the cheek. She walked into her room, opened her closet and stood in front of it glancing at her clothes.

"Need some help?" asked Phil.

"I'm fine, just trying to figure out what to wear" said Jillian.

"Hmm, I think I could definitely help" said Phil.

He walked over to the closet and reached around Jillian plucking out a dress.

"How about this?" suggested Phil.

"Um, ok" said Jillian.

She picked out some undies and slid them on rather demurely under her towel. Next she pulled the dress over her head and smoothed out the fabric. The dress was a little big on her and she wondered how much weight she'd actually lost while out on the boat.

"Well?" asked Jillian.

"You look fantastic" said Phil.

"Thanks. I guess we should join the party. With you up here there is no telling what everyone is doing to my house" said Jillian.

Phil followed Jillian down the hall enjoying the way her hips moved in the dress.

Josh and Jake had finished the other bottle of Patron and were both passed out on the couch. Edgar, Matt and Nick were playing cards at the dining room table. Sig and Jake Anderson were cooking something in the kitchen. Everyone else had left. Jillian immediately headed to the kitchen to see what was cooking.

"Whatcha making?" she asked.

"Sig is demonstrating how to make the perfect omelet" said Jake.

"How's he doing?" asked Jillian.

"I'm doing perfectly" said Sig. "Do you want one?"

"Can I pick my fillings?" asked Jillian.

"A true omelet is just an egg" said Sig.

"I had no idea you were a chef" said Jillian.

"I will make you one, but a true one" said Sig. "Nothing with a filling."

"Thanks" said Jillian.

She sat herself on the counter watching Sig cook. Jake pulled himself up to sit next to her.

"You look really pretty in your dress" said Jake with a smile.

"Thanks, Phil picked it out" said Jillian.

"Well he has good taste you look amazing in it" said Jake.

"Order up" said Sig handing Jillian a plate.

"It's delicious" said Jillian after eating her first bite.

"Let me try" said Jake.

Jillian happily fed him a forkful of her omelet.

"That is awesome Sig" said Jake.

Phil walked into the kitchen and up to where Jillian was sitting.

"Phil, you have to try this" said Jillian holding out her fork.

"Sig made it? Are you sure it's not poison?" asked Phil.

"It's so delicious, it would be worth being poisoned" said Jillian with a smile.

"Well if that's not a glowing endorsement I don't know what is" said Sig leaning over to give Jillian a kiss on the cheek.

Jillian set her dish in the sink and hopped down off the counter. She walked into the dining room and sat down on Matt's lap glancing at his cards.

"Are you finished pouting?" asked Edgar.

"Are you finished being an ass?" countered Jillian.

"I'll never be finished" said Edgar proudly.

"I wasn't pouting" said Jillian.

"What were you doing up there for so long?" asked Edgar.

"Taking a bath" said Jillian.

"You mean we sat down here while you were upstairs naked in the bathtub?" asked Matt aghast.

"Yep, you missed it" said Jillian. "Who's winning?"

"Edgar, but it's because he's cheating" said Matt.

"Figures" said Jillian.

"Why don't you come over here and say that" taunted Edgar.

Jillian stood up and walked over to Edgar gingerly sitting down on his lap.

"You are a very trusting little girl" said Edgar setting his hands on Jillian's waist.

"Don't make me regret trusting you" said Jillian.

"You want to play?" asked Edgar.

"No, not really. I'm going to check on Jake and Josh. You know make sure they aren't peeing on my couch" said Jillian.

Edgar released her hips and she stood up and walked towards her couch.

The party lasted a few more hours before Jillian got everyone either sent home for the night or tucked in somewhere. Almost everyone, Phil had just laid a blanket over Josh before walking up the stairs. Jillian followed Phil into her bedroom, she grabbed her pajamas and went into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. When she walked out she saw Phil sitting on the side of her bed.

"I'm just here to tuck you in" said Phil.

"Where are you going to sleep? You certainly can't drive home" said Jillian.

"I'll be fine" said Phil. "Just curl up with one of the boys" said Phil.

"Well, I think you should just sleep with me. We've done it before" said Jillian.

She climbed into the bed slipping beneath the covers. Looking over at Phil she patted the empty bed next to her.

"Are you sure?" asked Phil.

"Yes, but you need to take off your shoes" said Jillian. "And possibly your pants, just so you will be more comfortable."

"Are you trying to get me naked?" asked Phil.

"I just want you to be more comfy" said Jillian. "If it makes you more comfortable I can take off mine."

Jillian reached down under the blanket and pulled off her pants tossing them at Phil. Phil smiled and leaned down and untied his shoelaces. He slipped off his shoes and unbuttoned his pants and slid them down his hips leaving him in his boxers and t-shirt. Jillian smiled as he climbed into her bed.

"This bed is huge, I feel like I have my own zip code" said Phil.

"It is nice, the best piece of furniture I own" said Jillian.

"Even if I reach my hand out I can barely reach you" said Phil.

"You can always try harder" said Jillian saucily.

"Maybe I will" said Phil rolling over so he could reach Jillian. "Gotcha."

"See that wasn't too hard" said Jillian.

"No, I suppose it wasn't" said Phil moving closer to the middle of the bed.

"I don't know what to do at this point" said Jillian suddenly.

"What do you mean?" asked Phil.

"I mean I'm not really experienced in sleeping with captains" admitted Jillian.

"You did fine on the boat" replied Phil.

"True, but I wasn't really aware of what was going on" said Jillian.

"Well you are now, so what do you want to happen?" asked Phil.

"I'm not sure" said Jillian.

"Why don't you just come a little closer and we'll see how it goes" said Phil.

"Ok" said Jillian her voice quiet and shy.

Jillian moved into Phil's arms and nestled her head against his chest. Her legs entwined with his and he pulled her against him.

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Please read and review.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Short chapter, but I didn't want to leave the cliffhanger too long. Please note this chapter contains adult situations including some graphic descriptions of sex, please consider yourself warned.

Phil held Jillian for a moment just reveling the feel of her in his arms. Their lips met in a tentative kiss, Phil ran his tongue along the seam of Jillian's lips begging entrance, it was immediately granted. Their mouths opened to each other both relishing the other's taste. The kiss went on until both participants pull away breathless and panting. Phil ran his hands over Jillian's back carefully slipping them under her t-shirt so he could feel her skin. Jillian in turn moved her hands to the hem of Phil's shirt pulling it over his head. Her shirt soon followed his onto the floor. Pulling back from her Phil gazed at Jillian's body in the weak light on the room. He wished he'd left the light on when they'd gotten into bed, he felt like he was missing out on being able to admire her beauty and he could really use the light to see what he was doing. Her skin was incredibly soft under Phil's world roughened hands. Jillian for her part seemed to adore the hands roaming over her body, sighing and moaning softly at the contact. As Phil's hands ghosted over her nipples she arched her back begging for more contact. Realizing her hint, he immediately obliged leaning down and placing a small kiss on her nipple.

"Please don't stop" breathed Jillian.

Phil moved to the other nipple giving it a small kiss. Jillian's hand shot out to the back of his head pulling it towards her chest in a silent command. Phil opened his mouth and closed it over her nipple, his tongue swirled around the hardened tip before applying suction. The moan that fell from Jillian's mouth was music to Phil's ears. He applied himself to giving the other breast the same attention. Phil's hand moved down Jillian's body to the crux of her thighs. Sensing his intention she spread her legs in silent invitation. He rubbed her lightly over her panties feeling her distended clit through the fabric. Jillian moaned at the contact and Phil redoubled his efforts to bring her pleasure. Releasing her nipple he scattered kisses down her body aiming for his goal. Removing her underwear Phil felt Jillian tense.

"What are you doing?" asked Jillian.

"You know" said Phil sliding her underwear down.

"I don't" said Jillian quietly.

"Trust me, it's going to make you feel good. But if you want me to stop just say so and I will" said Phil.

"I trust you" said Jillian.

Phil moved back up her body and captured her lips in a dominating kiss which left her breathless. He moved back down between her thighs and gave each thigh a gentle kiss before spreading her legs wider. Jillian willed herself to relax, no one had ever done this to her. Yes, she'd had sex but it was unfulfilling and over in a moment with a guy from high school. She'd never had anyone show this much interest in her sexually and she felt more like a woman than she had in her entire life. The touch of Phil's lips to her was enough to pull Jillian from her musings. Phil parted her with his fingers admiring as much as he could see of her in the darkness before dropping a kiss on her clit. His tongue explored each dip and curve of her sex, enjoying the taste. Jillian's hands clasped at the sheets as she approached her first orgasm. Phil eased one finger into her, shocked at her tightness. As Jillian reached her orgasm her body clamped down around Phil's finger making it impossible for him to move it. After giving Jillian a moment to calm down he climbed back up her body holding himself above her. Julian spread her legs farther giving Phil room.

"Jillian, this isn't your first time is it?" asked Phil.

"No. I've had sex before" answered Jillian.

"Do I need to wear anything special?" asked Phil vaguely.

"Like a tux or something?" asked Jillian confused.

"No, I meant a condom" said Phil exasperatedly.

"No you don't. I have that covered" said Jillian.

"Ok. Guide me in" said Phil.

Jillian reached down and grasped Phil guidding him to her entrance. She couldn't help but take a moment to caress the soft skin of his penis before lining him up. Phil pressed forward feeling her open to him. He slipped his head in and gave Jillian a moment to adjust before trying to push the rest of the way in. Phil pulled out slightly before pushing in a little farther.

"Jillian, you feel so good" said Phil gritting his teeth.

"I think it's too big to fit" said Jillian.

"Oh, that's possibly the greatest thing a guy could hear during sex" said Phil.

"Yes, well in this case it's a valid concern" said Jillian.

"We'll go slow and I promise it will fit, eventually" said Phil.

He moved his hips in and out slowly stretching Jillian's body. His hand moved down between their bodies and plucked at her clit. Phil moaned tremulously when he finally made it all the way inside her body. He held still valiantly trying to stave off his impending orgasm. Jillian got restless and was soon thrusting her hips up to meet Phil's. Taking this as a sign everything was adjusted Phil began moving in and out of her varying his speed and depth with each stroke. Jillian's hand replaced Phil's on her clit and she quickly brought herself to another orgasm. Her body pulsed around him pulling him over the edge.

"OHH GOD!" yelled Jillian as she climaxed.

Phil followed her with a grunt, doing his best not to crush her as he laid down. Across the house Josh and Jake were roused from their slumbers for a moment before falling back to sleep. Phil rolled off of Jillian and she got up for a moment to clean herself up in the bathroom before returning to the bed and covering both her and Phil up with the blanket. They both fell asleep sated and exhausted.

The next morning Jillian woke up to a full bladder and a very strong arm holding her down. It took her a minute to wiggle out of the bed without waking Phil and when she finally made it to the toilet it was just in the nick of time. After washing her hands and brushing her teeth she climbed back into bed. She was tempted to go back to sleep but couldn't pass up the opportunity to explore Phil's body while he slept. Pulling back the blankets she saw the planes of his chest mapped out before her. She saw his chest hair covering his small flat nipples, she followed the trail of hair down to his cock which was nestled in a thatch of thick pubic hair. She reached forward and placed her hand on his lower abdomen.

"Damn it, your hands are like ice cubes" said Phil his eyes cracking open.

"Sorry, I washed them after I used the bathroom" said Jillian.

"In what? Ice water?" said Phil.

"Well I was in a hurry to get back to bed so I didn't wait until the water warmed up" said Jillian defensively.

Phil grabbed her hands in his and blew warm air on them to warm them up. Then tested their heat by placing her hands on his stomach. He brought them back up to his mouth and blew on them again.

"Are they warm enough yet?" asked Jillian.

"Almost" said Phil.

He finally released her hands and she went back to her exploration of his body. As Jillian's hands stroked his flesh he began to harden. She moved down to kneel between his legs and tentatively took him into her mouth.

"Your mouth is so hot" blurted Phil.

"Sorry" said Jillian removing her mouth.

"No, don't stop. It feels so good" said Phil.

Jillian went back to her task trying her best to make Phil feel as good as he made her feel the night before. Phil's hand tangled into Jillian's hair guiding her movements and before long he was on the brink of cumming.

"Jillian, if you don't stop I'm going to cum in your mouth" said Phil.

"Thfwats Obk" said Jillian.

Phil's hands tightened in her hair as he roared out his climax. Jillian attempted to swallow as much as she could. When Phil finally released his hold on her hair she demurely wiped her mouth on the blanket before crawling back up to Phil.

"That is an amazing way to start a morning" said Phil languidly.

"I just wanted to make you feel as good as you made me feel last night" said Jillian.

"You did" said Phil pulling her in for a kiss.

"You have morning breath" said Jillian with a smile.

"Yeah, well you have....minty fresh breath" said Phil.

"Good save" said Jillian.

"God, I could just tie you to the bed and make you scream my name for the rest of the day" said Phil happily.

"I can't say I would mind all that much" said Jillian.

Their pleasant chat was interrupted by a very urgent sounding knock at the bedroom door. Jillian did her best to cover herself with the blanket before Josh burst into the room.

"Wow, it smells like sex in here" he remarked.

"Good morning" said Jillian tugging up a corner of the blanket.

"Well I'm sure someone had a good morning" said Josh with a smirk.

"Did you want something or are you just here to annoy me?" asked Phil.

"I wanted to tell Jillian that Jake and I want to make breakfast but we couldn't find any breakfast meat" said Josh.

"There are some sausages in the freezer" said Jillian.

"We looked but didn't see them, are you sure?" replied Josh.

"I'll find them" said Jillian. "I'll be down in a sec."

"No, she won't. I'm keeping her up here all day" said Phil.

He wrapped his arm around Jillian and pulled her back down into the bed unintentionally exposing one of her breasts to Josh.

"Yeah, I don't blame you" said Josh staring at her chest.

Jillian realized what he was looking at and quickly covered herself. Josh quietly left the room ignoring the evil look his dad was shooting at him.

"You aren't really getting up are you?" asked Phil.

"I am. They are going to tear my kitchen apart trying to make breakfast" said Jillian.

"I'll buy you a new kitchen" said Phil nibbling on her ear.

"I like this kitchen" said Jillian weakly.

"Then I'll just have you move in with me" said Phil his hand caressing her breast.

"I didn't know you lived up here" said Jillian with a smile.

"What are you talking about? I live in Seattle" said Phil.

"Well, I work up here, so I couldn't very well live with you the commute would be a killer" said Jillian. "Besides if we did we probably wouldn't get any work done."

"You are probably right" said Phil pulling Jillian underneath him.

This time their love making was fast and rough and both Jillian and Phil were very mussed and still slightly breathless when they arrived downstairs for breakfast.

**Thanks for reading, please review.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Please be warned that chapter contains graphic descriptions of sexual activities. Please continue to read and review. And Happy New Year!!

Jillian helped Jake and Josh make breakfast managing to keep it to a minimal mess. Apparently everyone was still in the boat mentality because the breakfast they prepared was enough to feed a starving crew after 40 hours on deck. Which was a little bit much for a few hung over crabbers. Jillian let Phil and the boys clean up the breakfast dishes while she fired up her computer. She was still planning on taking a vacation somewhere warm before going back to work at Magone's. Pulling up travel site after travel site she finally made a decision. She'd just finished booking her trip when Josh appeared behind her.

"Hey, where are you going on vacation" he said.

"Thailand" replied Jillian.

"Wow, you don't do anything half way do you?" asked Josh.

"Nope. I got a great deal on a club med trip" said Jillian.

"How cool, when do you leave?" asked Josh.

"In a couple of days" said Jillian.

"That's awesome. I hope you have a good time. Will you bring me back something?" asked Josh.

"Like what?" asked Jillian.

"I don't know, something cool" said Josh.

"Um, sure" said Jillian.

Phil sauntered over to where Jillian was sitting at the computer desk and looked at the confirmation screen.

"So you are really going to leave me" said Phil with a pout.

Jillian cocked her head to the side and stared at Phil her eyes showing a mix of confusion and yearning.

"I'm going on vacation, you could join me" said Jillian.

"I'd love to, but I have to get the boat back to Kodiak, then I have promotional stuff to do in Seattle" said Phil.

"I suppose we will just have to make the most of the few days we have before we leave" said Jillian.

"Sounds good to me" said Phil.

Phil rounded up the troops and told the boys to go back to the boat to get it ready to go to Kodiak. He wanted some serious alone time with Jillian before they both left town.

Jillian was up in her bedroom with her suitcase open on the floor in front of the closet. She'd checked the weather in Thailand and it seemed like it would be warm so she was pulling out the few warm weather clothes she owned. Phil walked into the room and watched her throw a few things into her bag.

"Packing already?" said Phil.

"Just trying to figure out what to pack" said Jillian.

"Can you take a break?" asked Phil running his fingers down her back.

"I suppose I could" said Jillian.

Phil reached down hooking his fingers into the waistband of her pants, pulling her towards the bed. Jillian turned at the last moment and tackled Phil onto the bed. She straddled him, leaning down and placing a kiss on his lips. Phil opened his mouth to her questing tongue and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her flush with him. His hands moved into her pants rubbing his palms over her bottom before sliding her pants over her hips. Jillian moved her legs allowing Phil to get her pants all the way off.

"No underwear, I approve" said Phil slapping Jillian playfully.

"Thank you" said Jillian.

Sitting up on Phil she allowed him to remove her shirt before moving to the waist of his jeans. She stripped off his pants and tossed them onto the floor with a flourish.

"My my are we anxious?" asked Phil.

"Very" said Jillian with a snarl.

She started at his neck, licking and sucking at his pulse point before moving to his collarbone. Next she licked both of his nipples before turning south kissing his bellybutton. By the time she reached his cock it was already hard and ready. Before she could go farther Phil grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back up to the head of the bed. He laid her down on the bed and repeated the path she'd taken on his body. Starting with her ear lobes he bit them gently before soothing them with his tongue.

"I like that" said Jillian.

"Oh baby, there are going to be many things you are going to like today" said Phil.

He continued his path down Jillian's body, stopping to lavish attention on her neck and collarbone before moving to her breasts. Jillian anxiously moved her hand down to pull Phil harder against her breasts. Phil moved her hands away from him and told her to keep still. After the fourth time she moved her hands to touch him he got out of bed and pulled a scarf out of her dresser.

"What are you doing?" asked Jillian.

"Well, you refuse to keep your hands still so I'm going to make you hold still" said Phil.

He grabbed Jillian's hands and fastened them to the headboard using the scarf, he double checked her hands were held tight before returning to her breasts. His mouth fastened itself around her nipple biting and sucking it with abandon. The attention caused Jillian to writhe on the bed straining against her bonds. Phil loved how responsive she was to his touch. His hands slipped down against her stomach to tease at her cleft while he sucked at her nipples. The combination was enough to send Jillian tumbling into a powerful orgasm. Before Jillian even had a chance to come down from her orgasm Phil flipped her onto her stomach, pulling her knees up before settling himself behind her. Jillian looked over her shoulder giving Phil a tentative smile. He leaned forward in response and kissed her back gently, before lining himself up and pushing home. The angle allowed him to go deeper hitting her cervix with every thrust. Jillian pushed herself back enjoying the twinge as Phil bottomed out each time he plunged into her. Phil leaned over her tugging on her nipples as he rode her. He could feel her body start to flutter around him and knew that she was getting close. Moving up to his knees he gave her a few playful slaps on the ass before deciding to try something new. Sucking on his finger he made sure it was nice and wet before he moved it to her bottom. He played with her rosebud gently while watching Jillian's reaction. The feeling was completely foreign to her yet she wasn't adverse to it.

"You are so hot" said Phil as he teased her ass.

Slipping his finger inside her he could feel himself through the thin membrane separating Jillian's two holes. The added sensation was enough to push Jillian over the edge into the first vaginal orgasm of her life. Phil slapped her ass one more time before he followed her over the edge. He carefully pulled his finger out of her fundament before collapsing in a sweaty heap on top of her. Jillian grunted as he landed on her and then struggled to move out from under him. She nudged Phil hard enough to wake him up to untie her arms. Stretching out her arms out a little before she snuggled against Phil before falling asleep. They slept for a few hours before they awoke to do it all over again.

A few days later Jillian stood on the dock waving goodbye to Phil and the boys as they headed back to Kodiak. Once the boat was out of sight she turned and got into her truck to go back to pick up her bag and head to the airport. Her flight to Anchorage was uneventful as was her long flight to Thailand. Her 10 days at Club Med were amazing, she finally felt like she finally managed to thaw out. She went to the beach every single day to lay out or snorkel or swim. The whole vacation was sensational. The only downside was she was lonely, there was plenty of male contact since the workers were willing to spend time with her at the resort, however she only wanted one man and unfortunately he was back in Seattle. It was her last day of vacation and she was shopping around the market looking for a gift for the Harris's. The only thing she had so far was a packet of spices for Jake. Wandering through the market she tried to imagine what sort of gift Phil would like. While Josh's gift was important he wasn't the Harris she wanted to impress. She passed through a small shop filled with cotton lounge pants in all sorts of cool patterns. Jillian managed to pick up one with elephants and another with cups of coffee. Finally finding an interesting gift for Josh, she returned to the hotel to pack her bag.

While Jillian was relaxing in Phuket Phil and the boys were working hard to get the Cornelia Marie docked in Kodiak and settled back in Seattle. Phil had meetings with his coffee producers, while Josh was working with Sig on an updated version of the Deadliest Catch video game and Jake just worked on relaxing. Phil thought of Jillian often as he ran his errands and went to his meetings. He wondered how she was doing, if she was having fun and if she was thinking about him as much as he thought of her. He also spent his time imagining all the things he could do to her when he saw her next. In fact he'd started compiling quite a list.

Back in Los Angeles the editors of Deadliest Catch were hard at work putting together the episodes for Opie Season. Garreth was watching some of the footage from the Cornelia Marie and laughing out loud.

"What's up dude?" asked Sam.

"Jillian, is a natural comedian. She has one liners all over these tapes" said Garreth.

"Sounds good" said Sam.

"The only thing is I feel like I'm going to use more footage of her then I originally planned, which means the CM is going to have more airtime than the other boats" said Garreth.

There was an unspoken rule that the boats should each have story lines throughout the season, and share equal airtime. However, with the new addition to the Cornelia Marie crew their time was already longer and their story arc was taking precedence in the second half of the season.

"Do we have any interaction with her and the other crews?" asked Sam.

"I think I have a tape with her on the Northwestern, I haven't watched it yet though" said Garreth.

"Well put it in next and we'll see if we can use it" said Sam.

They watched the tape of Jillian fixing the dryer, then her subsequent shanghaiing and the duct taping incident.

"Garreth, this is brilliant. We absolutely need to put as much of her in as possible. Look at the interaction between her and the guys, it's absolutely brilliant" said Sam.

"It is good, maybe we'll get an Emmy nomination for this season" replied Garreth.

Garreth and Sam spent the rest of their work day editing the footage of Jillian during Opie season. The teasers for King Crab had already begun playing on Discovery and once the episodes with Jillian were finished the teasers for her introduction into the world of crabbing would began to air during the episodes. The plan was to avoid introducing her by name before her first episode to raise interest. The Discovery Channel hoped to be flooded with emails asking who the mystery girl was, which would be just the buzz they were hoping to get. The premiere episode of the season would be airing in just a few weeks.

Jillian returned to Dutch Harbor tanned and happy. Walt picked her up from the airport and immediately peppered her with questions about the season and her vacation. Jillian filled Walt in on all the repairs she completed on the boat as well as a few other occurrences. Walt laughed at all of Jillian's adventures, he'd expected nothing less from Phil and the crew. He helped Jillian into her house, carrying her bag over the threshold then heading to the kitchen.

"What do you have to eat here, young lady?" asked Walt.

"I'm not sure, check the pantry or the freezer" said Jillian.

She collected the mail off the floor before walking over to the message machine.

"First Message: Hey Jillian, it's Phil. I wanted to say that I'm thinking of you and hope you had a safe trip. Call me when you get back" played the machine.

Jillian reached out to grab the phone before changing her mind. She didn't want to have a conversation with Phil in front of her uncle. Walking back into the kitchen she saw that Walt had found something to eat. Jillian sat down on the counter and started to sort through her mail. She pulled out an envelope with the Cornelia Marie logo on it and tore it open.

"Wow" she said in amazement.

"What's up?" asked Walt.

"I got my paycheck from Opies" said Jillian.

"Oh yeah? You need a ride to the bank to deposit it or are you going to spend it all at once?" asked Walt.

"I can't believe how much I made" said Jillian happily.

"How much?" asked Walt.

"Thirty Six thousand" said Jillian her voice giddy.

"They have you full share, that's great" said Walt.

"After all the shit I put up with they'd better have given me full share" said Jillian. "But I didn't realize how much money they made."

"That's not even for a full season of work" said Walt.

Walt and Jillian ate their small meal without much further conversation. She walked Walt to the door and said she'd see him at work on Monday.

After Walt had left she went through the rest of the mail before walking upstairs with the cordless phone. She unpacked her bag, quickly putting her dirty clothes in the laundry and returning her toiletries to the bathroom. Dialing Phil's cell number she sat down on her bed waiting for him to pick up.

"Hello?" answered Phil.

"Hi Phil, it's Jillian."

"Hey baby, how was your trip?" asked Phil.

"It was great, but it would have been better if you'd been there with me" said Jillian.

"I would have loved it, but we wouldn't have left the room" said Phil.

"You are a very naughty man" said Jillian.

"You can spank me next time you see me" said Phil.

"That sounds like fun" said Jillian saucily.

"When do you go back to work?" asked Phil.

"On Monday" answered Jillian. "Although I got my check from Opies today and I could easily take another vacation with the money I made. Thanks for giving me full share."

"Everyone agreed you deserved it" replied Phil.

"Thank you just the same, I appreciate the money and the respect that the guys think I deserved it" said Jillian.

"When are you going to come visit me?" asked Phil.

"Um, I don't know. I brought gifts for you and the boys from Thailand" said Jillian.

"Maybe you can come down for the weekend" said Phil.

"This weekend?" asked Jillian surprised.

"Well I think it would be a pretty short visit since today is Saturday" said Phil.

"How about in a couple of weeks, the new season of the show starts then and the Discovery people always throw us a little party to show us the first episode."

"That sounds like fun. I'd love to come down for that" said Jillian.

"I'm glad that's decided" said Phil. "Now what are you wearing?"

"Right now I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt" said Jillian.

"Is it a tight t-shirt?" asked Phil.

"Not particularly" said Jillian.

"Take it off" said Phil.

"What?" asked Jillian in surprise.

"Take it off" repeated Phil slowly.

Jillian did as she was told and removed her shirt.

"It's off. I think to be fair you should take something off" said Jillian.

"What makes you think I have anything left to take off" replied Phil his voice husky.

"Hm, perhaps I should catch up then" said Jillian her voice dropping slightly.

"I like that idea" said Phil.

Jillian quickly divested herself of all her clothing and made herself comfy on her bed before picking up the phone.

"I'm naked and waiting for your next command" said Jillian in her most sexy voice.

"I love it when you talk like that" said Phil. "Did you miss me while you were on vacation?"

"Yes, I missed you" said Jillian.

"What part of your body missed me most?" asked Phil.

"Um, my heart?" answered Jillian unsure.

Phil was silent for a moment, he hadn't expected her to say something like that. He took a moment to compose himself before issuing his next command.

"I missed touching your beautiful breasts" said Phil. "So I want you to pull at those sweet little nipples of yours just like I would if I were there."

Jillian tugged on her nipples gently.

"I wouldn't pull them that gently, I want you to tug them harder Jillian" said Phil.

Jillian pulled them hard, stretching them until it bordered on pain before releasing them.

"Are they getting pink like they do when I pull at them?" asked Phil.

"Yes, and they are very hard" said Jillian.

"You know what else is hard?" asked Phil seductively.

"Hm, I bet I can guess" said Jillian.

"I want you to touch that cute little clittie of yours" said Phil. "I want you to rub it and imagine me there, leaning over you kissing your neck and touching every inch of your body."

Jillian stroked herself as Phil commanded and her body responded almost immediately. She could feel herself getting wet and her fingers started to work faster.

"Phil, are you touching yourself?" asked Jillian her voice straining. "Because if I were there I'd be touching you."

"Yes, baby I'm touching myself" said Phil. "I want you to put two of your little fingers inside you. They aren't even as big as one of mine, but they'll have to do."

"I wish it was you" said Jillian panting.

"Imagine it is me, imagine I'm pounding into you" said Phil with a grunt. "Are you close?"

"Yes, yes, yes" chanted Jillian. She could feel herself pulse around her fingers.

"JILLIAN" cried Phil as he climaxed.

"God Yes, Phil" yelled Jillian as she came.

Jillian collapsed back on the bed trying to regain her breathing enough to say something.

"Baby? Are you still there?" asked Phil.

"Yes, that was amazing" said Jillian. "Almost as good as the real thing."

"Hopefully not that close" said Phil.

"Not as good as in person, but still satisfying" said Jillian tiredly.

"Well now that I've worn both of us out, I'm going to take a nap" said Phil.

"Good idea" said Jillian with a yawn. "Bye Phil, I'll see you in a few weeks."

"But we will definitely do this a few more times" said Phil with a tired laugh.

"I look forward to it" said Jillian.

Jillian and Phil spoke on the phone a few times in the weeks leading up to her flight to Seattle. Jillian spent her days busy at work and her nights in her bed dreaming of Phil. On the nights they talked Jillian went to bed sated and exhausted. Never had two weeks seemed so long. Magone's had decided to give Jillian a few extra days off for her Seattle trip. The day for her to leave had finally arrived and Walt had once again agreed to shuttle her to the airport. Her one rolling bag was packed with just a few clothes since she didn't imagine she'd be wearing too many while she was with Phil. The flight out of Dutch was terrible and for the first time in Jillian's life she wondered why she lived so far from civilization. When she finally arrived in Seattle she found Phil, Jake and Josh waiting for her in baggage claim. Jake grabbed her bag while Phil swept her up into a hug kissing her soundly on the mouth.

"Hi" said Jillian.

"I've missed you" said Phil. "The boys insisted on coming with me to pick you up, probably to prevent me from having sex with you right here in the airport."

"Sounds like a nice idea" whispered Jillian in Phil's ear.

"Don't tempt me" said Phil.

"Ok, you two. Lets go" said Josh.

They all piled into the truck and headed to Phil's house.

On the drive to the house Jake and Josh kept up a steady stream of questions about Jillian's vacation. The most often asked question was about hookers, which Jillian repeatedly told them she had no knowledge about. Neither boys could wait for their gifts so Jillian dug them out of her bag. She gave Jake his spices and then handed Josh his package. Josh tore into the wrapping like a kid on Christmas morning. He pulled out a very short silk robe with small statues on it.

"Wow, this is so cool. I can't wait to wear it" said Josh.

"Yeah, I hope it's not to short, wouldn't want you showing off your goodies" said Jillian.

"What did you get me?" asked Phil.

"I got you some sleepwear too" said Jillian.

"I hope it's not one of those robes" said Phil with a sour face.

"Um, no. But you'll have to wait until we get to the house to find out" said Jillian.

"That's fine" said Phil. "I want to open in it private anyway."

Jillian smiled and a small blush bloomed on her cheeks.

"So Jilly, did you know that Josh has a new girlfriend?" said Jake teasingly.

"She's just a friend" said Josh.

"A friend that you've been banging in the shower for a month" said Jake.

"Shut up Jake, that's private" said Josh his cheeks blooming with embarrassment.

"It's not private when everyone in the apartment building can hear you guys" said Jake.

"Anyway, congratulations on your new friend" interrupted Jillian.

"Thanks, she's really nice. I can't wait for you to meet her" said Josh.

"Oh, well I can't wait to meet her either" said Jillian.

"Great, we are all going out to dinner together tonight" said Josh.

"Josh, I said maybe" said Phil.

"Come on dad, it's only a few hours. You will have plenty of time to do whatever it is you two are going to do" said Josh.

"Like playing scrabble or having tea" said Jake.

Jillian giggled to herself wondering what playing scrabble with Phil would be like.

"Jillian, don't encourage him" chided Phil.

Jillian nodded and slipped a hand onto Phil's thigh. He slanted a look at her clearly challenging her to move it higher. Jillian slid her hand farther up resting it as far as she could without looking too obvious. Phil set his hand on top of hers moving it over the bulge in the front of the jeans. Jillian stroked slowly back and forth feeling the bulge grow under her ministrations. By the time Phil dropped the boys off at their apartment and made it to his house he was on edge.

Phil dropped Jillian's bag just inside the front door and quickly pressed her against the wall sealing his mouth to hers. He lifted her off her feet and Jillian wrapped her legs around his waist grinding her mound against his jean covered erection.

"Which way to the bedroom?" asked Jillian between heated kisses.

"Too far" replied Phil dropping her on the couch.

He stripped her out of most of her clothing and barely managed to get his pants passed his knees before he entered her. Both he and Jillian groaned in relief. The rutted on the sofa Jillian with her ass hanging off the cushions and Phil kneeling on the floor. It was over in moments and merely took the edge off enough for the couple to make it to the bedroom. Neither Phil or Jillian bothered to get redressed, in fact all extraneous clothing was shed on the walk to the bedroom. Phil laid Jillian down on the bed covering her body with his.

"I've missed you" he said placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I've missed you too" said Jillian intercepting Phil's mouth with her own.

As their tongues dueled their hands roamed each other's bodies remembering what turned the other on. Phil's fingers pressed into Jillian and she moaned in pleasure. His mouth found her nipples and bit them lightly before sucking on them. Jillian moved her hands to his cock stroking it to hardness. Phil pulled away from Jillian's hands and moved down to taste her. His fingers continued to saw in and out of her while his mouth tortured her clit with nips and broad soothing tongue strokes. Jillian moved towards orgasm she dug her feet into the mattress grinding her clit into Phil's mouth.

"No, too soon" said Phil as he pulled back.

Jillian growled in frustration as she watched Phil lick her essence off his fingers.

"Don't pout, it's been too long since I've gotten to enjoy the pleasure of your body and I'm going to make you wait to cum until I do" said Phil.

He reached over to the nightstand where he pulled out two lengths of velvet. He carefully tied Jillian's hands to the head board.

"Just to keep you well behaved" said Phil as explanation.

He moved back down her body and knelt between her legs, he spread her thighs are far as they could go and gazed down at her treasure. He lined himself up and slid home drawing a groan from Jillian. Once seated inside her he leaned forward and sucked hard on her nipples. Jillian's back arched in response begging Phil for more contact. Leaning back he pounded into her for a few strokes before spreading her essence on her breasts and then sucking it off. He did this over and over again until Jillian was a quivering mess. Taking pity on her Phil began to thrust into her in earnest. His finger plucked at her clit until he felt the first flutterings of her orgasm. Then he grabbed her knees pressing them together and back onto her stomach so he could fuck her as hard as possible. Jillian howled out her climax and Phil thought it was music to his ears. A few minutes later he followed her over the edge. He pulled out of her and reached over for a few tissues. He cursorily cleaned them up before untying her hands. He noticed the ligature marks on her wrists and hoped they would fade before dinner. Jillian was already asleep and Phil wondered if it was too deep to be woken from. He leaned down and fastened his mouth to Jillian's breast suckling it gently. Jillian moaned slightly in her sleep but didn't move to stop Phil from his ministrations. His fingers danced down her body making their way to her wet core. He collected some of the fluid and moved it back to her anus. He watched her face carefully for any signs of discomfort or pain. Jillian's face showed nothing but enjoyment. In fact her legs spread wider in silent invitation. Phil worked a finger into her before adding a little more of her natural lubricant and working in another finger. Jillian let out a low moan and Phil felt her trying to relax her body. He leaned up and suckled on her nipples for a few minutes until he felt her body accept his two fingers. Again he added another finger, this time he increased the suction on her nipple easing her bodies reaction to the additional digit. Jillian's body accepted the third finger and Phil smiled as he admired the view. Reaching back to the dresser he pulled out a special jar he'd bought just for Jillian's visit. He unscrewed the top and slathered a bit of the lube onto his fingers. Then he reapplied himself to getting Jillian ready. The moment the cold lubricant touched her skin she tensed.

"Come on Jillian, you'll love this. You just need to relax and let your body get use to the intrusion" reassured Phil.

"I trust you" murmured Jillian.

Phil worked his three fingers in and out before spreading Jillian's legs and bending down to suck on her clit. Just the taste of her was enough to get Phil hard again. He brought her through another orgasm before rolling Jillian over. He lined his cock up with her ass and started to slowly push in. Jillian moaned into the pillow thinking that there was no way this was going to end well. Phil pushed in a little more before stopping.

"It feels better when you move" said Jillian her voice strained.

"Ok, baby" said Phil tenderly.

He slowly rocked back and forth and eventually he was completely seated inside her. He pulled back slightly before thrusting back in, as he moved his balls slapped against Jillian's nether lips and clit making her shiver. Phil pulled on her nipples as he fucked her.

"Touch yourself" said Phil.

Jillian's fingers flew down to her clit fingers moving furiously in an attempt to make herself cum. When she finally orgasmed it felt strange to be clenching around nothing. Phil felt Jillian's orgasm wash through her and sped up his movements. A few minutes later he felt his balls tighten and he followed her over the edge. This time they both fell asleep, exhausted.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I can't believe how long it took me to write this chapter. Sometimes I suppose real life gets in the way of fiction. Please note there are adult situations in this chapter than some may find disturbing.

Jillian and Phil managed to make it to the restaurant on time. They'd gotten up with just enough time to play in the shower, dress and make it to the restaurant. Phil was surprised when Jillian slipped into a very pretty burgundy dress. He'd inquired if it was new and she had said that she bought it especially for him. As they walked into the restaurant Phil saw that Josh was anxiously waiting for them at the hostess stand.

"Finally" said Josh.

"Joshua, were are exactly on time" said Phil.

"I know, but we got here early and Jake is at the table keeping Lisa company" said Josh a pained look on his face.

"That's nice of him" said Jillian helpfully.

Josh turned a baleful look on Jillian which clearly told her that Jake was probably being anything but helpful. Josh turned on his heel and headed to the table Phil and Jillian following in his wake. Once they arrived introductions were made and everyone slid into their seats.

"Jillian, I love your dress. Where did you get it?" asked Lisa.

"Thank you. I ordered it from J. Crew" replied Jillian.

"You look great in it, Phil is a lucky man" said Lisa.

Both Jake and Josh audibly groaned at the suggestion that their dad was getting lucky. Jillian smiled sweetly at both boys then turned to give Phil a light kiss on the cheek.

"So what's good here?" asked Phil.

"Last time we were here the salmon was delicious" remarked Lisa.

Everyone in the group perused the menu trying to decide what to order. Once Jillian had made her selection she folded her menu on the table and dropped her hands to her lap, then she slowly moved one into Phil's lap. She idly stroked him through his pants while everyone else at the table had their heads buried in their menus. Phil glanced sideways at Jillian and saw that she was facing straight ahead, her other hand casually grasping her water glass her countenance a study in nonchalance. Smiling to himself Phil decided if this was the game she wanted to play then he would play to win. He quickly decided on getting a steak and folded his menu stacking it on top of Jillian's.

"So Jake, how's life?" asked Phil, casually dropping his hand onto Jillian's thigh.

"It's fine, I guess. I'm interested to see the show tomorrow" said Jake with a smile.

"Why?" asked Phil.

"Because, if I'm in it a lot I'll be getting a few more friends on facebook, if you know what I mean" said Jake.

"Do you ever meet up with the people you "meet" on facebook?" asked Jillian.

"Um, sometimes" replied Jake.

"You are braver than I thought" said Jillian.

"Whatever" said Jake dismissively.

Phil's hand had pulled the tablecloth up over Jillian's legs then slipped under it and Jillian's skirt. He felt the smooth satin of her underwear and stroked her lightly through the fabric.

"So Jillian, how long are you in town?" asked Lisa.

"I fly back Monday" replied Jillian.

"Where do you work in Dutch?" asked Lisa.

"At Magone's. I'm a mechanic" answered Jillian.

"That's interesting, how did you get started?" asked Lisa.

Jillian launched into her rather strange tale of becoming a mechanic while Phil's fingers continued to assault her through the fabric of her panties. Even though Phil could feel her panties getting wet Jillian's voice remained unchanged and he decided to up the ante. His fingers pulled the fabric away from her body and slipped underneath to her skin. Jillian attempted to casually move away from Phil's hand but she was trapped. His finger continued it's assault making Jillian's voice quiver slightly as she spoke. Finally Jillian finished her story and took a sip of water.

"Wow, that's quite an adventure" said Lisa.

"Well, it's just my life. Although I would like to make it a little less exciting after this last adventure at sea" said Jillian.

"No way, you are going to miss facing death everyday" said Jake.

Jillian just shrugged as she blotted her face with her napkin. She was completely loosing it, Phil's hand was turning her into a pile of goo. She continued to stroke Phil through his pants but she couldn't put a significant amount of concentration into what she was doing. The salads arrived and Jillian wondered if that would be enough for Phil to stall his movements. As Jillian picked at her food Phil's fingers moved faster, her legs spread involuntarily as she approached orgasm. Phil ate his salad and held a few casual conversations with everyone at the table. He could tell that Jillian was close and he debated whether or not he should make her cum in front of his kids at the table of a fancy restaurant. His decision was made not by himself but by Lisa, who abruptly excused herself from the table. Josh followed Lisa's progress towards the bathroom with wide eyed concern. Then his attention turned to Jillian, his eyes pleading for her to follow Lisa. Phil removed his hands from her panties and Jillian removed her hand from his lap, stood up and followed the path Lisa took from the table.

"What's up with her?" asked Jake.

"I don't know. Hopefully Jillian will be able to help" said Josh.

Phil had a sour look on his face because his fun had been taken away. He and the boys continued to talk about this and that as they waited for the girls to return.

The bathroom of the restaurant though very well appointed thankfully did not include a bathroom attendant. Jillian found Lisa kneeling on the floor depositing her salad and drinks into the toilet. Jillian reached into her hair and pulled out her hair band. She used it to tie back Lisa's hair making sure to secure it away from her face. Next she walked over to the sink and wet one of the cloth hand towels, she laid that on the back of Lisa's neck. Lisa nodded gratefully and stayed in the same position until Jillian felt sure she'd thrown up every meal she'd ever eaten. When Lisa finally sat back on her heels her make up was running and she looked completely heartsick.

"Lisa, do you think you can stand up?" asked Jillian.

Lisa nodded her head and got unsteadily to her feet. Jillian held her arm then moved her into the powder room carefully turning her away from the mirror and seating her in a chair.

"Let me get you cleaned up" said Jillian.

She grabbed a few more hand towels and did her best to wipe the running make up, snot and whatever else was on Lisa's face.

"Are you ok?" asked Jillian once Lisa was all cleaned up.

"Yeah, it's been happening the last few days" said Lisa.

"Maybe you have some sort of a virus" said Jillian.

"Probably, I don't usually get sick like this so it must be something" said Lisa.

"Maybe you're pregnant" said Jillian jokingly.

"I couldn't be" said Lisa dismissively.

"Are you ready to head back out there?" asked Jillian.

"Yeah, I'm much better now. Thanks for all the help" said Lisa.

"You are welcome, us girls have to stick together" said JIllian offering Lisa her arm.

The girls walked arm and arm back to the table.

Josh stood up the moment he spotted Lisa and rushed to her side. Jillian let go of Lisa's arm and casually slid into the bench next to Phil. Jake gave her a questioning look and Jillian took a moment to see if Josh and Lisa were in earshot before she spoke.

"She got sick in the bathroom" whispered Jillian.

"Is she ok?" asked Phil.

"She seems better now. But she threw up a lot" said Jillian.

"Shit, I hope we don't get it" said Jake.

"Hopefully you haven't been sharing drinks with her or anything. If it's a virus I'm sure Josh will get it" said Jillian.

"Why do you think Josh will get it?" asked Jake.

"Because they kiss all the time" replied Jillian.

"Right" said Jake.

Josh and Lisa returned to the table and Jillian pushed Lisa's water glass towards her. Lisa gratefully accepted the silent suggestion and took a sip. The entrees arrived shortly after Lisa and Josh returned to the table. Lisa picked at her food eating nothing more than a few bites. Everyone at the table seemed concerned about Lisa and Josh ate quickly so he could take Lisa home. After they'd left Jake glanced over at Jillian and smirked.

"I hope Josh is going to make sure she feels better" said Jillian.

"Yeah, probably going to make sure she stays horizontal" said Jake.

The rest of the dinner passed with conversations full of sexual innuendo, by the time dessert was finished Jillian's face hurt from smiling so much and her sides ached from laughing.

"Can I stay at your house tonight?" asked Jake.

"Why would you want to do that Jacob?" replied Phil.

"Because I'm tired of hearing Josh and Lisa having sex all night" whined Jake.

"Fine, you can stay with me and just listen to us having sex all night" said Phil.

Jake frowned while he tried to work out which would be more disturbing.

"Jillian, are you a screamer?" asked Jake.

Jillian's mouth dropped open in shock at the question. Phil patted her reassuringly on the back and turned to his son.

"She's not but I am" he said with an evil smile.

"Fine, I'll just go back home. Hopefully Lisa is too sick for sex" said Jake.

"Good night Jake" said Jillian as they walked out the door of the restaurant.

"Night Jillian. I'll see you tomorrow at the party" replied Jake.

Phil and Jillian arrived back at his house. They walked into the house hand and hand. Phil pulled Jillian into the kitchen where he grabbed them a couple of beers before steering her towards the den. They settled together on the sofa and Phil flipped on the television.

"What is it about the animal channel that intrigues you?" asked Jillian.

"It's nature and I think it's interesting" said Phil.

"Fair enough" said Jillian.

"What do you like watching?" asked Phil.

"You already know I don't watch TV all that much" said Jillian. "But when I do, it's sitcoms or fashion shows."

"What do you think of Lisa?" asked Phil.

"She seems nice, I hope she's better before tomorrow" said Jillian thoughtfully.

"She is nice, Josh seems to like her a lot" said Phil.

"Were you going to make me cum while we were sitting at the table?" asked Jillian suddenly.

"Maybe, I hadn't really decided" said Phil.

"That would have been terribly inappropriate" said Jillian.

"True, but you were so responsive, it was hard not to see how far I could take it" said Phil.

"Please promise that you won't do that tomorrow" said Jillian.

"I promise, but you have to be extra good tonight" said Phil.

"I'm always good" replied Jillian.

Phil broke out into a huge grin and took a long pull of his beer. Tonight was going to be very interesting. They watched a little Animal planet and when Phil deemed the next show boring and suggested they retired to the bedroom.

Phil sat down on his bed quietly watching Jillian undress. He had special plans for her tonight and he was excited. Once Jillian was naked and she quietly moved to sit on the bed next to Phil.

"Aren't you a little overdressed?" said Jillian.

"I suppose I am, perhaps you could remedy the situation" said Phil with a smile.

Jillian took to her task, unbuttoning Phil's dress shirt. Jillian placed a kiss as each inch of skin was revealed. Once the shirt was removed it was folded and set aside. Next Jillian worked with Phil's pants, but first she removed his shoes and socks. Before Jillian could pull off Phil's boxers he stopped her.

"I'm going to leave those on for now" said Phil.

"Ok" said Jillian stilling her hands.

"Now Jillian, I want you up on your bed on all fours" said Phil.

Jillian complied and was soon on the bed facing the head board. Phil rubbed his hand down her back and over her bottom.

"I want you to stay perfectly still" said Phil. "If you can't then there will be consequences."

"Ok" murmured Jillian, wondering what she'd gotten herself into.

Phil leaned forward and laid a sweet kiss on the small of Jillian's back. Next he ran his tongue from the middle of her shoulder blades to her tailbone. Although Jillian tried very hard to stay still she couldn't stop herself from moving away from Phil's questing tongue.

"You moved" said Phil.

Jillian thought his voice sounded almost gleeful as he talked to her.

"Now you are going to get a little spanking" said Phil. "For your disobedience."

Jillian said nothing just nodded her head slowly. She felt a little ridiculous, but she was willing to try anything once. Phil sat down on the bed and pulled Jillian over his knees like he would an errant child. Jillian's feet and hands didn't touch the ground she just lay on Phil's lap completely in his control. Phil couldn't keep the shit eating grin off his face, he was so excited about what was to come.

"Jillian, I want you to count" said Phil.

Jillian nodded her head and braced herself for the blow that was about to come. The first blow landed almost gently on her right cheek. The next one was stung slightly and the third positively burned.

"Jillian, you aren't counting. We are going to have to start over" said Phil.

Jillian let out a pained sigh and nodded. Phil raised his arm again and spanked her hard.

"One" said Jillian.

Phil smiled at the tremor in her voice and leaned into the next swot.

"Two" said Jillian her voice slightly quieter.

"Don't be too quiet, or we will start again" said Phi.

By the time Jillian had reached 10, tears were streaming down her face and Phil's lap was wet with her excitement. Phil's hand soothed her stinging bottom, it was dark pink and hot to the touch. His hands dipped between her legs and he was surprised to feel how wet she was. He smiled at his discovery, it seemed Jillian liked a little discipline. Phil continued to finger her and in response Jillian spread her legs giving him better access to her most needy parts. Jillian was relieved to feel Phil's fingers questing between her legs, she was on edge and desperately needed to cum. She moved herself back into Phil's hand, trying to get him to go faster. Sensing her need Phil moved her back onto the bed having her resume the position on her hands and knees. He slipped down his boxers and took his place behind her. Phil grabbed her hips and slid home. Jillian moaned as Phil entered her, half in relief and half in response to the pain from him hitting her abused bottom. But despite the pain Jillian's arousal compelled her to start moving back into Phil's thrusts. Jillian could feel Phil's rhythm change and she knew he was getting close, she reached down and began to pluck at her clit. It didn't take long for her to reach completion. Phil felt her walls flutter around him and began to pound into Jillian with abandon. They both came shouting each other's name and collapsed on the bed. Phil rolled off her Jillian and got up to go to the bathroom. He walked back towards the bed holding a bottle of lotion. Jillian was still laying face down on the bed, not having moved from the position she fell into. Phil sat next to her and squeezed a large dollop of lotion onto her abused backside. He lovingly smeared the soothing balm into her skin. Jillian sighed in relief as the lotion began to ease the searing pain of her bottom. Phil finished rubbing the lotion into her skin and climbed into the bed spooning himself against her body.

The next day was the premiere of the show and Phil and Jillian dressed in their best and headed to the restaurant that was the site of this years party. Arriving at the restaurant Phil quickly found the Hansen brothers sitting at the bar. Phil got Jillian a martini and himself a Crown and coke.

"So Jilly, what have you been up to?" asked Sig.

"Just spending some time with Phil" said Jillian with a smile.

"Here have a seat" said Sig getting up.

"No thanks" said Jillian.

"Come on, it will make me look like an ass if you're standing and I'm sitting" said Sig.

Jillian demurred and sat down gingerly on the barstool. Norman noticed the wince of pain as Jillian settled herself on the seat and glanced sideways at Phil who was smiling.

"Have you been ice skating recently?" asked Norman casually.

"No, why do you ask?" replied Jillian.

"Because it seems like your butt is sore and ice skating is really the only thing I could think of that could be the reason your in pain" said Norman innocently.

Jillian frowned then sent a evil glare in Phil's direction.

"Oh, why are you looking at Phil?" teased Edgar.

"He spanked me" said Jillian. "Oh look there's Lisa."

The guys irrupted in a hail of laughter and high fives. Jillian stood up and slipped away from the guys heading over to find Lisa.

"Oh shit Phil, what did you do to her? She can't even sit down without wincing" said Sig.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about" said Phil struggling to keep the smile off his face.

"Oh please, you know what we're talking about, you can't even keep the stupid grin off your face" said Sig.

"We are both consenting adults and our love life is private" said Phil.

"Love life? Did the great Phil Harris just say the word love?" teased Sig.

"Don't read too much into it" said Phil. "I mean my God she's younger than Josh."

"So what? I'm sure you can keep her happy, if not I guess you can just spank her into submission" said Sig.

"We will see where it goes, but I'm not anxious to put any titles on what it is" said Phil.

"I understand" said Sig with a smile. "I'm happy you're happy."

"Speaking of happy I should probably find Jillian and make sure she's happy" said Phil.

"Good luck" replied Sig.

Phil walked away to find out where Jillian had wandered off to.

Jillian had found Lisa after her announcement to Sig and his brothers. Lisa had immediately excused herself and Jillian to go to the bathroom. Lisa seemed happy enough but her smile faltered as she moved away from Josh.

"Is everything ok?" asked Jillian.

Lisa stopped suddenly and looked around like a caged animal looking for an escape. Spotting a Japanese screen she pulled Jillian behind it.

"So, remember what you said yesterday in the bathroom?" whispered Lisa.

"Um, not really" admitted Jillian.

"You asked me if I could be pregnant" said Lisa.

"Oh" said Jillian her eyes wide.

"So, I took a test today and it was positive, so I took a few more and they were all positive. I'm pregnant" said Lisa.

"Congratulations" said Jillian.

"No! No congratulations. It can't be Josh's" wailed Lisa.

"What? How do you know?" asked Jillian.

"Josh always wears a condom. And I did the math, figuring out when my last cycle was and my last period was before I even met Josh" admitted Lisa.

Phil was looking for Jillian and happened upon a familiar voice on the other side of the screen. The following is what Phil heard.

"....straight...pregnant with someone else's child...should tell him" said Jillian muffled voice.

Phil didn't hear the rest of the conversation, the blood was rushing in his ears drowning out everything else. He was livid, he'd specifically asked Jillian about pregnancy prevention and she'd said she had it covered. Phil moved away and found a place he could stand and wait for Jillian to emerge.

"So let me get this straight, you're pregnant with someone else's child and you're not sure you should tell him?" said Jillian.

"I know, it seems terrible" said Lisa.

"Honestly Lisa, you need to tell Josh sooner than later. Besides what about the baby's father, don't you think he'd like to know he has a child" said Jillian.

"I don't know what I'm going to do" said Lisa.

"Well if you need anything let me know and I promise not to say anything" said Jillian.

Lisa nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. Jillian stepped out from behind the screen and made her way back towards the main room.

Jillian walked past where Phil was standing and he reached out grabbing her arm in a steel grip. Jillian turned to face him, she was shocked by the roughness of his treatment. Her confused look just added fuel to Phil's already boiling anger.

"Come with me" he said dragging her into the corner of the hallway.

"What's wrong?" asked Jillian.

"What's wrong?!" bellowed Phil.

"Stop yelling and just tell me what's going on" said Jillian.

"Don't you have something to tell me?" whispered Phil.

"No, everything is fine" said Jillian.

"Liar. I heard what you said" said Phil in a harsh whisper.

"What did I say?" asked Jillian her voice growing cold.

"Lets go back a little shall we" menaced Phil. "Back at your house I asked you if we needed to take steps to make sure we didn't have any unexpected surprises. And you said quote, I've got it all taken care of. Do you remember that? I bet you do. You had it all under control because you were already pregnant with someone else's kid."

"What are you talking about?" asked Jillian.

"I heard you talking, I heard to admit that you were pregnant and that it's not mine" said Phil. "You completely disgust me."

Jillian fought to keep herself from giving Phil the satisfaction of seeing her cry. However she would not go out without a few choice words of her own.

"Not that you deserve the explanation but I'm going to tell you anyway. I'm not pregnant with yours or anyone else's baby. I've been taking birth control pills since I was young, not because I'm the slut you believe me to be but because I have horrible PMS and cramping. I stopped taking the pill a few years ago and got an IUD placed so I didn't have to worry about forgetting to take a pill. Before you I had slept with one other person and that was 10 years ago when I was in high school. I really like you, but this is unforgivable" said Jillian before walking away.

Jillian had just made it around the corner when she literally ran into Edgar. He caught her, wrapping his arms around her waist to steady her. Jillian's face was streaked with tears and she was holding in her sobs.

"Hey, lets go outside" said Edgar pulling her out one of the side doors. Once outside he walked her away from the restaurant carefully stowing the razor he was carrying in his pocket. Finding a spot on the dock he sat down patting the ground next to him. Jillian sniffed slightly then dropped heavily to the ground.

"What happened?" asked Edgar.

"Phil thinks I'm pregnant with someone else's child" said Jillian.

"Why would he think that?" asked Edgar.

"Because he heard me talking to" here Jillian paused, unwilling to break her promise to Lisa "someone."

"Did you explain that to him?" asked Edgar.

"I told him I wasn't pregnant, but I refuse to break my promise to the person that is pregnant not to tell" said Jillian.

"What did he say to that?" asked Edgar.

"He basically called me a liar and said I was disgusting" said Jillian through a choked sob.

"Well Jillian, I'm going to let you in on a little secret, men are idiots. I know because I am one" said Edgar.

The tears were now falling faster and Edgar noticed that Jillian was shivering in the night air. He reached over and pulled her into his lap. Jillian nestled into his chest, laying her head on his shoulder and began to cry in earnest. Edgar stroked her back and her hair holding her close until he felt her crying slow.

"Thanks Edgar" sniffed Jillian. "You know if you want to shave my head you can. I won't fight it"

Edgar looked down into Jillian's tear stained face and smiled.

"Nah, I'm over that" he said with a friendly smile. "Are you ready to go back in? I'm worried you are turning into a icicle."

Jillian nodded and got to her feet. As she and Edgar walked back towards the restaurant he tossed the cordless clippers into the bay. Jillian either didn't notice or chose not to comment about the strange splashing sound.

Inside the restaurant Phil was drowning his sorrows one shot at a time. Sig had tried to find out what was wrong but Phil's anger had driven him away before he could get an answer out of him. Phil had just dropped back another shot, at this point he'd completely lost count of how many he'd done, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Go away" grumbled Phil.

"Dad, I need to talk to you" said Josh.

Phil turned his watery gaze to his son and immediately noticed the pale drawn look on his oldest boys face. Sobering slightly Phil turned his attention fully on his son.

"What's wrong Josh?" asked Phil.

"It's Lisa, she just told me she's pregnant" said Josh.

Phil was shocked the only thing he could do was nod.

"But it can't be mine, I always used condoms" said Josh. "I don't know what to do."

Suddenly everything fell into place and Phil realized the terrible mistake he'd made with Jillian.

"Well Josh, I suppose the question to be answered is are you willing to raise someone else's child. Do you love her enough to do that?" asked Phil.

"I just met her, I don't even know what her favorite ice cream flavor is" said Josh. "But I feel like I should take care of her, even if it's not my kid."

"Josh, she doesn't need a hero. She's a smart girl and will do what she thinks is right. Let her have some time to think and make a decision" said Phil.

"Ok, thanks dad. I think we are going to take off, we have a lot of stuff to talk about" said Josh. "Do you think you can make sure Jake gets home safe?"

"Yes, I'll take Jacob home with me. It will give you a little more privacy" said Phil.

"Thanks dad, you're the best. Tell Jillian I said thank you for being there for Lisa, she said it was Jillian's advice to tell me about the baby. She's really a great girl" said Josh as he walked away.

Josh's words were like a knife through Phil's already bruised heart. He actually felt his breath catch in his throat and a pain lance through his chest. He had to find Jillian and apologize before it was too late to repair the damage he'd done. Phil stood up and turned around determined to head out to find Jillian when his other son appeared by his side.

"Hey dad, have you seen Josh?" asked Jake his voice filled with concern.

"Yeah, he and Lisa headed home. You are going home with me to give them time to talk" said Phil.

"What happened?" asked Jake.

"You'll have to wait for Josh to tell you" said Phil.

"Ok" said Jake signaling the bartender.

"I'll see you later Jacob, I'm going to find Jillian" said Phil.

"I saw her outside with Edgar. I think he had clippers in his hand" said Jake taking a sip of his drink.

"Great" muttered Phil.

Not only was Jillian going to be mad, she was probably going to be bald.

Jillian slowed her progress as she approached the front of the restaurant. Edgar noticed that she wasn't walking next to him and turned to see where she was. Jillian had come to a stand still 100 yards from the front door.

"What's wrong?" asked Edgar.

"I'm not sure I want to see him" said Jillian.

"I can take you home if you want, but I need to tell Louise where I'm going" said Edgar.

"But I'm staying at Phil's, so even if I were to go there I'd eventually have to see him" said Jillian taking a deep breath. "I might as well just get it over with now. At least here there are free drinks."

"That's my girl. You can sit with us" said Edgar.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. Jillian followed behind Edgar as they burst through the front door. Norman spotted them first and quickly walked over to Edgar.

"Jillian, your hair looks great" said Norman relief flooding his voice.

"It does look nice" said Edgar.

Jillian looked suspiciously at both guys, their compliments were nice but it was an odd thing to say to her. Edgar caught Norman's eyes and attempted to tell him what happened. Norman got Edgar's drift and quickly distracted Jillian by leading her over to their table. As they approached Louise pulled Jillian into the chair next to her and grabbed her purse off the floor.

"Jillian, let me give you a bit of a touch up" said Louise. "Turn this way and no one will notice."

Jillian turned so her back was to the majority of the room. Louise pulled out a bit of powder and some mascara and got to work. A few minutes later Jillian was cleaned up and prettier than ever.

"Here, take a look" said Louise handing Jillian her compact.

"Wow, I look prettier than I did when I got here. Thanks Louise" said Jillian.

"If you want to talk about the stupidity of men, I'll happily commiserate with you" said Louise.

"Hey, I'm standing right here" said Edgar.

Louise shot her husband a smile and wink before leaning over and giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"You know that crabbers are worse at being stupid than the average man" said Louise.

"Oh really? Why?" asked Jillian.

"Because they make snap decisions on the boat all the time and it becomes second nature so they just stop thinking before they act" said Louise.

"It's true" said June. "I'll give you a great example, the towels in our bathroom."

"Oh, that's a classic example" said Louise giggling.

"What happened to your towels?" asked Jillian curiously.

"One morning over the summer I mentioned to Sig that I'd like to get new towels for the bathroom. I came home that afternoon to find all my towels thrown away and brand new black towels hanging in my bathroom" explained June.

"What color were the old towels?" asked Jillian.

"Sage" said June.

"Why did Sig get black ones?" asked Jillian.

"Because they were the first ones he saw in the store. It's just an example of how they make constant snap decisions" said June.

"Wow, good thing you didn't say you wanted to paint your house or anything" said Jillian.

"June, are you talking about the towel thing again?" said Sig from behind Jillian.

"Sig, it's a hilarious story" said June. "I think Jillian needed a good laugh."

"She could probably use a good drink, which is what I brought her" said Sig setting a martini in front of Jillian.

"Thanks Sig" said Jillian.

Jillian sat chatting happily with Louise and June until the premiere of the show was about to start.

Phil had spotted Jillian over with the Hansen clan and headed over to see if she would speak to him. He didn't even make it within a 100 feet before he was intercepted by Edgar and Norman.

"Hey Phil" said Edgar blocking Phil's path.

"Hi Edgar, is she ok?" asked Phil.

"Um, I would say she's pretty heartbroken by what you said to her" said Edgar.

"I know, I want to apologize to her, tell her I was wrong before I completely ruin what we have" said Phil.

"I don't think she really wants to talk to you" said Norman.

"I can understand why she wouldn't but I want to try to make this right" said Phil.

"I'll ask her what she wants to do and if she agrees to talk to you I'll walk her over" said Edgar.

"Who are you, her dad?" asked Phil annoyed at Edgar's new role.

"Listen Phil, if I had my way I'd just take her back to our house where she'd be treated like the princess she is. But she seems to like you for some reason even though you treated her like shit today so don't push your luck" said Edgar through clenched teeth.

"Fine, please tell her I want to apologize" said Phil.

Edgar nodded and he and Norman walked back to their table to talk to Jillian. Phil waited anxiously by the bar. A few minutes later Jillian walked over to him flanked by Norman and Edgar.

"Thanks guys, but I think I can handle it from here" said Jillian.

"Ok Jillian, let us know if you need anything" said Edgar patting her on the shoulder.

"Jillian, I'm so sorry. I was totally out of line with what I said to you. Josh told me about Lisa" said Phil. "I'm sorry I didn't let you explain what was going on."

Jillian looked at Phil her eyes hard and cold. For the first time since Phil had found out about his mistake he realized that maybe Jillian wouldn't forgive him.

"If you're expecting me to say I forgive you just like that you're mistaken" said Jillian.

"I don't have any expectations" said Phil. "I just hope that you will accept my apology. That you know how truly sorry I am about hurting you, about what I said to you, at how much I hate myself right now."

"I accept your apology" said Jillian quietly.

"Thank you, now I'm going to start making it up to you" said Phil.

"Good luck, you have a long way to go" said Jillian.

"I'll go to the ends of the earth to make it up to you" said Phil.

Jillian nodded and quickly changed the subject.

"How did Josh take the news about Lisa being pregnant with someone else's child?" asked Jillian.

"He seemed a little shocked, but he took it a hell of a lot better than I did when I thought it was you" said Phil embarrassed.

"Well I guess he hasn't been a crab fisherman as long as you" said Jillian.

Phil thought for a moment then remembered that Jillian had been talking to Louise and June.

"Are you referencing the black towel incident?" asked Phil.

"Yep" said Jillian.

The lights dimmed and Jillian and Phil took a seat at the table with Jake. They watched the premiere episode which showed the crews heading out to start Red Crab season. The episode finished and then the Discovery crew had put together a few montage clips of some memorable scenes from the upcoming seasons. Only one contained Jillian and it was of her sitting in Phil's chair in her pajamas. The room irrupted into a hoots and hollers when her picture flashed across the screen. The Discovery people all shared a look of supreme satisfaction, if this was the reaction from the crews who already know Jillian imagine what the response will be when a nation full of viewers get their first view of the first female to be featured on the Deadliest Catch. The film finished and the lights slowly came back up. Scott took the stage and quickly grabbed the microphone waiting for the room to quiet down.

"Ok, everyone. Thanks again for another great season of Deadliest Catch, I'm sure it will be our best yet. I have an exciting announcement, once again we will be holding Catch Con here in Seattle. It will be a little later this year and we hope that all the captains and as many of the crew as possible will be able to attend. We hope that everyone has a safe break and we look forward to seeing you all at Catch Con."

There was a rousing round of applause and Scott took a slight bow before exiting the stage. The excitement for the season had been building on fansites and on the Discovery Channel website. They hoped that it would be the highest rated season yet. Scott only had one last thing left to do, convince Jillian to appear at Catch Con. It was critical for her to be there, if he could reveal her at the convention then the other episodes would probably air with even higher viewership. Scott scanned the room looking for Jillian, he was disappointed when he didn't see her. After asking around he found out she'd left with Phil and Jake. Sighing he realized he missed his chance to ask her which probably meant a trip to Alaska.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please read and review.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Sorry for the delay between chapters. I'm hoping to get the next one up soon. Please read and review.

Phil opened the door allowing Jillian and Jake to enter before him. Both of them stopped just inside the doorway annoying Phil.

"Damn it, just move" said Phil from behind them.

"Sorry" said Jake pushing Jillian into the living room.

Jillian slowly walked into the dark room bumping her toe against one piece of furniture then another.

"Jake, she shouldn't be whacking her feet against everything, turn on a light" said Phil. Jake flipped the switch and Jillian managed to make it through the living room and to the kitchen without further injury. Once inside she helped herself to a beer and sat down on a stool at the kitchen counter. Jake grabbed one out of the fridge and sat down next to her.

"So did you have fun tonight?" asked Jake.

"I've had better nights" said Jillian with a sigh.

Phil stood in the doorway listening to what Jillian was saying. He felt terrible about the evening she had.

"I have to say you looked pretty hot in your pajamas" said Jake with a smile.

"You saw me in my pajamas on the boat all the time" said Jillian.

"Yeah, but I didn't really remember. That's the thing about the show, you'll watch it and not remember saying a word of what's coming out of your mouth on screen" said Jake.

"Well considering I only remember giving one interview it should be and interesting season to watch" said Jillian.

"Have you gotten cable in your apartment yet?" asked Phil.

"Not yet, but I will as soon as I get back" said Jillian.

"You better or you won't know what everyone is talking about on the websites" said Jake.

"What websites?" asked Jillian.

"The fansites, they talk about all of us" said Jake.

"Instead of trying to explain it just show her" said Phil.

Jake grabbed Jillian's hand and pulled her into the small study just off the living room. He sat down in the desk chair and quickly turned to fire up the computer. Jillian took a seat in a leather chair next to a small side table. She picked up the book laying on the table and smiled. She's never pictured Phil reading Edgar Allen Poe, but here was the proof. The book was well worn which showed that it was a treasured item and had been read many times. Phil watched Jillian gently run her fingers over the binding of his favorite book. Jillian sensed Phil's eyes on her, looked up and smiled. Phil's heart soared as she smiled at him, he hoped that he could make her smile forever.

"Ok Jillian, come here and see this" said Jake.

Jillian walked over and stood behind Jake her hands resting on his shoulders as she read the threads on the website. Jake explained to her all the different fansites and the ones he enjoyed reading most. Jillian snickered at a few of the commenters lusting about their favorite captains and crew members.

"So, do you check these sites all the time?" asked Jillian.

Phil chuckled from the chair Jillian had occupied just moments before. He knew that Jake and Josh obsessively checked the sites to read what everyone wrote.

"I like to read what's being said about me in the public forum" said Jake.

Jillian just nodded and smiled walking back towards the chair she'd sat in earlier. It was the only chair in the room with the exception of the desk chair Jake was currently sitting in. She hesitated for a moment and Phil sensed her uncertainty and pulled her into his lap. Tensing only for a moment she quickly settled into his comforting embrace. In Jillian's mind she kept repeating that she would leave tomorrow to go back to Alaska and be able to think about the relationship with a little more distance. Jake continued to read various comments aloud from the sites as Jillian sat quietly in Phil's lap. The tender scene was shattered by the slamming of Phil's front door and the tortured howl that accompanied it.

"Josh?" yelled Phil jumping to his feet.

Jillian, Phil and Jake ran into the living room and found Josh laying on the floor of the living room yelling into a couch pillow. His clothes were a disheveled mess and his shoes were caked with mud.

"Josh are you ok?" asked Jillian kneeling down next to him.

"No" came the muffled reply.

"What happened?" asked Phil.

"Hmph" was Josh's only response.

Jillian moved down and started to remove Josh's muddy shoes from his feet, they were causing a rather terrible stain on Phil's carpet. Jake bent down and took the shoes from Jillian and moved them to the front door.

"Josh, how about we get you in the shower and while you're cleaning up I'll get you a stiff drink" suggested Phil.

"Fine" said Josh's muffled voice.

Jake reached down and hauled his brother to his feet. Josh stood up, before he took a step he grabbed on to Jillian's hand.

"Come with me" said Josh. "I need to talk to you."

"Ok" said Jillian glancing at Phil who just shrugged his shoulders.

Jake and Jillian managed to get Josh up the stairs and Jillian averted her eyes as he undressed and slipped into the bathtub.

"I thought you wanted to take a shower" said Jillian.

"I can't talk to you if the shower is running unless you want to be in the shower with me" said Josh.

Jillian sat down on the side of the tub carefully avoiding look at any part of Josh's body under the water. Jake sat down on the floor by Jillian wondering what horrors Josh was about to confess. Phil appeared in the doorway with a pint glass sized Crown and coke.

"Here Josh, this should help you out" said Phil handing his son the glass.

"Thanks dad, I need this" said Josh taking a long sip of his drink.

"Ok, so here's what happened. We went back to my place and Lisa started explaining that she was with another guy before she met me, he was a long term kind of boyfriend but that it wasn't really going anywhere so they broke up. She kept saying how much she cared about me and how special our time together has been. Then she told me that it couldn't be my baby, because we always used protection and if she did her pregnancy math right she was pregnant before she and I ever hooked up. Then she started bawling, I mean just sobbing uncontrollably. I offered to get her something to drink and she went into a huge tirade about how she'd never be able to drink again. I just held her until she got herself back under control. Then she announced she needed to call her ex-boyfriend and would I be willing to stay and offer my emotional support. So she makes the call and all of a sudden I hear her giving out my address." said Josh.

"Oh shit" said Jake.

"Yeah, you have no idea. So Lisa goes into the bathroom and cleans herself up and all of a sudden there is a knock at the door. She comes bounding out of the bathroom and goes and opens the door. In walks a guy who's neck was thicker than my leg, her ex looks like he could wrestle professionally. So he looks at me like I'm an unwanted guest in my own house. Lisa takes him by the hand and walks him into the living room and sits down on the couch. I get up and walk to the kitchen to give them a little privacy. I hear some crying and some laughing and then a lot of yelling. I go out to see if I need to intervene and I see Lisa crying on the couch and "big neck" trying to destroy my one and only piece of art. So I ask him if he wouldn't mind leaving and he said something about taking Lisa with him and I said it was the lady's choice. And then it got ugly.

"Did you guys get in a fight?" asked Jillian shocked.

"Yep, thankfully we managed to make it outside before the punches started flying. Lisa was freaking out yelling at us to stop and then all of a sudden she just starts walking down the street. I start to go after her and "big neck" tackles me in the dirt and runs after her himself. I just went upstairs, grabbed my keys, locked the house and got the hell out of there" said Josh with a sigh.

"Holy shit, that's what women bring. Drama, pain and fleeing from your own house" said Phil morosely. "Present company excluded."

"I'm glad you escaped unscathed" said Jillian.

"Me too. I think I'm going to take a break from women for a while, this was just too crazy" said Josh.

Jillian stood up and walked into Phil's room, she wanted to change clothes into something more comfy. Phil followed her into the room and he sat on the bed as Jillian pulled out a change of clothes out of her suitcase. Jillian glanced at Phil and then quickly changed into her pajamas.

"Are you really leaving tomorrow?" asked Phil.

"Yep, I have to be back to work on Monday" replied Jillian.

"I'll miss you. It will be hard to atone for my horrible actions with you being so far away" said Phil.

"I think distance will be good" said Jillian. "You really hurt me and I need time and distance."

Jillian purposely left the sentence open ended. She wasn't sure where this relationship was going and she didn't want to try to define it right now.

"I understand, but I want you to know how much I care about you" said Phil his eyes studying the carpet.

Jillian moved to sit next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Phil hands moved to caress her hair, then softly trace the contours of her face before turning her cheek so he could kiss her. The kiss was soft and gentle like it's own little apology. Jillian lost herself in the kiss. Phil's hand moved from her face down her neck and chest before resting gently on her hip. Pulling away his lips from hers, Phil locked eyes with her.

"Jillian is this ok?"

"Yes, it's ok" said Jillian.

Phil smiled, then captured Jillian's lips in a searing kiss. Jillian smiled against the kiss loving the feeling of his mouth against hers. Just as Phil was about to move her to a more horizontal position Josh and Jake came into the room.

"Hey guys, hope we aren't interrupting anything" said Jake sitting on the bed next to Jillian.

"You are" said Phil.

"Good, because if neither of us are getting any than neither will anyone else" said Jake.

"How about heading downstairs for a drink" said Josh.

He still sounded a little shaken and Jillian immediately stood and gave him a gentle hug.

"Thanks" murmured Josh.

"Lets go downstairs" said Jake.

Jake, Josh, Jillian and Phil drank well into the night. Eventually Jillian helped tuck Jake and Josh in on the couch after they passed out. She followed Phil upstairs trying not to stumble or lean to heavily on him. Once in the bedroom Phil tucked her into bed taking care to place a glass of water and some aspirin next to her. Then he stripped down to his boxer shorts and crawled into bed next to her. Jillian reached out and stroked her hand up and down Phil's naked chest tweaking his nipples gently. In response Phil pulled her against his chest nestling her head under his chin. The lay quietly until sleep claimed them. The next morning found Phil's hand gently rubbing Jillian's breasts toying with her nipples through the fabric of her shirt. Jillian for her part ground her bottom against Phil's morning erection. Phil groaned into her neck, kissing and biting it gently. Jillian knew what she wanted and she felt only slightly guilty about taking what it and then leaving. Her hand slipped behind her and tugged at Phil's cock before pulling at the waistband of his boxers. Getting the hint Phil slipped off his shorts before pulling down Jillian's pants. Phil lifted her leg and slid home moaning at the feeling. The sex was different this time, slower, sadder as if Phil and Jillian were using it to say goodbye. As they lay together in a sweaty heap they were both silent reveling in each other's company before they inevitably went their separate ways.

Phil drove away from the airport with a heavy heart, Jillian had gotten on her flight and was by now already making her way back to Dutch. They hadn't really addressed their situation. Phil was hesitant to call their relationship anything but he couldn't help how he felt about her. He was unlucky in love, he'd proven that time and time again, he didn't want to get hurt again or hurt Jillian. He pulled into his driveway and noticed that Josh's car was still there. Walking through the front door he noticed the boys were still lounging on the couch.

"Hey Dad" said Jake.

"Did Jillian make it on her flight?" asked Josh.

"Yes she did. She said bye to both of you but I'm pretty sure you were both out cold" said Phil.

"We'll see her again in a few weeks" said Jake.

"Why?" asked Phil.

"Isn't she coming to the deadliest catch convention?" asked Jake.

"I have no idea, she didn't say anything about coming back" said Phil.

Phil felt slightly chagrined, he'd never asked Jillian about when they would see each other again. His heart lightened as he thought about seeing her again just a few weeks from now.

"Earth to dad?" said Jake.

"What?" snapped Phil.

"Do you want to bbq today?" repeated Jake.

"Yeah, sounds good. There should be some steaks in the fridge" said Phil.

"So are you and Jillian an item?" asked Josh. "Is she going to be our new mommy?"

"Shut up Josh" said Phil.

"Oh my God Josh, she's younger than you are" said Jake. "She's only a year older than me. Dad please tell me you aren't thinking about getting married again."

"Shut up both of you. No I'm not planning to get married again, twice was enough" said Phil.

"What about when you thought she was pregnant?" asked Josh.

Phil froze, he had no idea that Josh knew about his misunderstanding with Jillian. Josh had answered an earlier call from Sig asking if Jillian was ok, when curiosity got the better of him Josh asked Sig what had happened. Sig promptly told Josh everything.

"I suppose I would have done whatever she wanted" said Phil before walking upstairs to his room.

"What was all that about?" asked Jake.

"I'm not sure" said Josh.

"Whatever, lets get the steaks ready" said Jake. "I'm starving."

Jillian stumbled into her apartment, dropped her keys on the table and started to leaf through her mail. She was happy to be back in Dutch, her life seemed so much simpler. All she had to do was go to work and come home, there were no boyfriends complicating her life. She snorted at the thought of Phil being her boyfriend, there was no real definition to their relationship, maybe in the future but certainly not in the present. Pulling out her cell phone she dialed Phil's number, when he didn't pick up she left a message informing him she'd made it home safely then hung up. Going into the kitchen she picked a few ingredients out of the fridge and whipped herself up some dinner. As she sat down in the living room to watch some tv she realized that Uncle Walt had gotten her a surprise, cable. There was a little note on the new remote informing her that Walt hadn't wanted her to miss watching herself on the show so he'd already put it in the DVR. Jillian spent the rest of the evening watching all the old episodes of Deadliest Catch. She smiled as she saw Jake and Josh arguing with Phil over spending too much money and being lazy on deck. Eventually she went to bed her dreams filled with boats and waves.


	16. Chapter 16

The viewing totals were in for the first episode of the new season and Jeff couldn't be happier. It seems that the guys were even more popular this year than last. He happily sent out an email to his team giving them the numbers and telling them what a great job they all did. He hoped the numbers would stay steady throughout the season. He received an email back from his assistant giving him the list of the people coming to Catch Con. Jeff was convinced that Catch Con was going to be a great boost for the ratings. He scanned the list and frowned when there was a question mark next to Jillian's name. He had specifically told his assistant to get a confirmation from Jillian. Sighing he pulled out his cell and dialed the number.

"Peter, why isn't Jillian confirmed yet?" asked Jeff.

"Jeff, I just haven't been able to get a hold of her" explained Pete.

"Send someone up there if you have to, she has to be confirmed before the end of this week" said Jeff.

"I will get it done" said Pete.

Jeff hung up the phone, glanced back at the computer screen and smiled.

Jillian was working ridiculous hours at Magone's. There were a lot of boats being salvaged for some reason and Jillian was constantly leaving the shop to go out on the salvaging trips. The days were long and most evenings Jillian went home, took a shower and went straight to bed. She'd completely ignored all the messages on her home machine and on her cell phone. Jillian hadn't even had a chance to watch Deadliest Catch or anything on TV. But tonight was Friday and she had a date with her Tivo. Her plan was to catch up on the last couple of episodes then go to bed early. As Jillian approached her house she noticed a figure sitting on her porch. She slowed her progress towards her house and considered her options. She could call the police, go back to the shop or just face whoever it was and hope for the best. She opted for the last choice because she was tired and just wanted to shower. As she got out of the car and walked towards her door she recognized the person on her porch as Josh the producer/camera man from Discovery.

"Hey Jillian" he said.

"Hi Josh, what are you doing here?" asked Jillian. "Without a camera?"

"Pete sent me because you haven't returned any of the Discovery phone calls" said Josh.

"Right, I've been really busy at work" said Jillian apologetically. "They really sent you all the way up here to find me?"

"Since they couldn't reach you they sent me" said Josh. "And I had to do some Coast Guard training."

"Well, lets go inside and you can tell me all about the phone calls" said Jillian.

She opened up her door and led Josh through to the kitchen. Josh immediately noticed her answering machine's flashing light.

"So should I just listen to the messages or will you just give me the gist of what they say?" asked Jillian.

"I'm curious to see how many messages you actually have on there" said Josh.

"Alright, I guess I should find out" said Jillian.

She pressed the play button and the machine informed her there were 55 unheard messages.

"Shit, I didn't realize there were so many" said Jillian.

"Well they are all going to say the same thing probably just more frantic as they go on" said Josh.

Jillian decided since she had a guest she'd order a pizza. While she and Josh waited for the food to arrive they listened to the messages. Pete started off very happy on the messages but as they reached message 30 his voice seemed to take on a desperate quality, by message 50 he was threatening and combative.

"I guess I should call him back before he takes his own life or puts a contract out on mine" said Jillian.

"Yeah, please do" said Josh.

Jillian called Pete and left a message saying that she was excited about attending Catch Con and that if he emailed her the itinerary she promised to read it and commit it to memory. Josh was laughing hysterically by the time Jillian had finished her message.

"That's awesome, I hope he's in a good mood when he hears it" said Josh.

The pizza arrived shortly after and they ate it while drinking a few beers and watching the newest Deadliest Catch episodes.

"Have you seen your teaser?" asked Josh.

"My what?" asked Jillian.

"Your teaser. You know the previews for your episodes" explained Josh.

"No, I haven't. Is it good?" asked Jillian.

"Oh yeah" said Josh with a smile.

"Why are you smiling like that?" asked Jillian suspiciously.

"It will be on in this episode, why don't you fast forward until you see it" suggested Josh.

Jillian did and when Josh told her to stop she watched in a stunned silence. She watched herself flit across the screen in her pajamas slightly out of focus. She heard her voice but never saw her own face. Then Mike Rowe's voice talked about the newest member of the Cornelia Marie crew and the introduction of girl power to the fleet. Once the teaser was over Jillian paused the DVR and turned to Josh.

"What the hell was that?" she asked.

"It's your teaser, it gets viewers excited about seeing the episodes that you are in" said Josh with a smile.

"Why am I in my pajamas and out of focus?" asked Jillian.

"I suppose it's to generate interest since you're a mystery" said Josh.

"A mystery? That seems a little ridiculous" said Jillian with a laugh.

"Yeah, well I'm sure the marketing department thinks differently" said Josh.

Josh stayed for a little while longer before he gave Jillian a hug and left to go back to the hotel.

Jillian was lounging in her pajamas when the phone rang the next day. She casually picked up the receiver and said hello.

"It's Peter, I'm so glad you finally got back to me."

"Sorry but it's been crazy at work" said Jillian.

"Listen, I'm sending your plane reservations by email. They are e-tickets so you can just print them out at home. We've got you all set up in a nice hotel and you are coming out the day before the event and leaving the day after. I hope that's ok with your work schedule" said Peter in a rush.

"I'm sure it will be fine with work. What am I suppose to wear to this sort of event?" asked Jillian.

"Whatever you want. Most of the guys wear jeans, it's pretty casual" said Peter.

"Ok, sounds good. I guess I'll see you at the event" said Jillian.

"You'll see me at the airport, I'm picking you up. Jeff is adamant that you be there and I'm to see to it personally" said Peter.

"Well, I promise not to be too much trouble" said Jillian.

"You already are" said Peter jokingly.

"Good bye Peter, see you in a week" said Jillian.

Jillian set down the phone with a sigh. She wondered what she should wear to this convention. Smiling to herself she got up and walked to where her laptop was plugged in on the counter. Opening up one of the websites Jake had shown her she started reading through some of the comments made about the most recent episode of the show. She got to the thread about her teaser and read what people were saying about her blurry form. Her mouth dropped open as she read some of the more racy comments about her pajamas and who she was sleeping with on the boat. Jillian quickly closed the laptop and walked upstairs to take a shower.

Peter paced furiously outside baggage claim at SeaTac airport. Jillian's flight had just landed and Peter was anxious to get her to the hotel so Jeff could see her with his own eyes and get the hell off of his back. Peter had been constantly micromanaged by Jeff in regards to Jillian. Jeff wanted to know where she was, what time she was heading to the airport and the second she landed. Peter had just called Jeff letting him know that Jillian's flight was at the gate and that he would be taking her back to the hotel as soon as she appeared. Peter had just resumed pacing when Jillian appeared rolling her suitcase behind her.

"Jillian, thank god you're here" said Peter.

"Hi Peter, thanks for picking me up" said Jillian.

"No problem, we'll head to the hotel and then Jeff wants to take you to dinner" said Peter.

"Sounds good" said Jillian.

"Have you talked to anyone about tomorrow?" asked Peter.

"Just you. Although I need to call Phil to tell him I'm in town" said Jillian.

"You'll see him tonight. Jeff is taking everyone out to dinner" said Peter.

"Oh cool" said Jillian.

Peter led her to the car and drove her to the hotel.

Later that evening Jillian sat on her hotel bed watching TV when there was a knock at her door. Sighing she got up and walked over and pulled open the door.

"Listen Peter, I appreciate all the special attention but really I'm fine" said Jillian.

"Hey Jillian" said Edgar pushing the door open and walking in the room.

"Sorry Edgar, Peter's been bugging me all day" said Jillian.

"Sounds like it" said Edgar. "I just wanted to see what you were up to."

"I'm up to nothing" said Jillian suspiciously. "You aren't here to shave my head are you?"

"I'm razor free" said Edgar showing Jillian his upturned palms. "Pat me down if you want."

"I think you'd enjoy that a little too much" said Jillian.

"Only if you wear your pajamas while you do it" said Edgar saucily.

"I feel my choice of sleepwear is going to come up a lot over the next few days" said Jillian with a weary sigh.

"Did you see this weeks episode?" asked Edgar with a sly smile.

"No, I was working" said Jillian. "Why?"

"Because the episode was your first repair and you getting stitches on the boat. It was awesome, I didn't know you were such a tough girl" said Edgar.

"I'll have to watch it on my DVR when I get home" said Jillian.

"How are you and Phil?" asked Edgar.

"Fine I guess. We have only talked a few times since I was here last. We've both been busy" said Jillian.

"Well if you ever want to date someone from a good boat Junior thinks you're hot" said Edgar.

"I'll keep that in mind" said Jillian.

Edgar sat down on the bed next to Jillian and flipped through the channels on the hotel television. They hadn't even picked a channel to watch before there was another knock at the door. Jillian got up to answer it.

"Hi gentlemen" said Jillian moving aside so Norman and Sig could enter the hotel room.

"Hey Jillian, is Edgar here?" asked Sig.

"Yep, he's right here" said Jillian.

"Your hair is still in tact so I guess he was here on a social call" said Norman.

"He's assured me that he's done with trying to shave my head" said Jillian.

"For now" said Edgar from the bed.

"Are you both ready for dinner, I expect Jeff is chomping at the bit to see all of us" said Sig.

"Peter said that he'd come here to get me for dinner" said Jillian.

"Is Peter your new personal assistant?" teased Norman.

"More like my personal jailer, he hasn't let me out of his sight since I got here" said Jillian. "Do you know they sent Josh the camera guy up to Dutch to confirm I was coming to this Catch Con."

"Really?" said Sig.

"Yep, he was sitting on my steps when I got home from work one night last week" said Jillian.

"Well, I'm not really surprised" said Norman. "You are the newest most interesting person on the show."

Jillian was saved from commenting on what Norman said by Peter's simpering voice floating through the door.

Dinner was a huge affair, everyone who was participating in CatchCon was there. All the captains were there plus the family members that worked on their boats. Jillian saw Phil from across the room and her heart skipped a beat. Although they'd spoken a few times on the phone suddenly being in the same room it seemed as if electricity was running between them. Phil crossed the room and picked up Jillian hugging her firmly.

"I've missed you" he whispered in her ear.

Jillian smiled and placed a small kiss on Phil's cheek.

"Well you two seem to know each other" said Jeff with a cheeky grin.

"Yes, we lived on a boat together for 8 weeks" said Phil.

Jake and Josh walked up behind Phil and gave Jillian a gentle hug and kiss. Jeff wandered away to talk to Sig and his brothers leaving Jillian and the Harris boys alone. Jake and Josh quickly excused themselves to the bar leaving Jillian alone with Phil.

"So how have you been?" asked Phil.

"I've been really busy" said Jillian. "Lots of salvaged wrecks recently."

"Oh yeah what's going on up in Dutch?" asked Phil.

"I'm not really sure, just a lot of interesting wrecks" said Jillian.

"I hope you're staying safe up there" said Phil.

"Yes, I'm staying safe" said Jillian.

Josh appeared with a glass of champagne for Jillian.

"Thanks" said Jillian accepting the glass.

"You're welcome" said Josh. "You're looking good."

Jillian smiled at the compliment then followed Phil and Josh to the table. Jeff welcomed everyone and gave a brief overview of what was going to take place the next day. The Wizard and the Northwestern boats would be available for tours, there would be a few contests for the fans to participate in, a question and answer panel, a preview of next weeks episode and the meet and great autograph session.

"Now everyone, I of course don't need to remind you that revealing plot elements from upcoming episodes is forbidden" said Jeff. "If you can't answer the question without revealing something just tell the fan they will have to stay tuned to find out. I imagine there will be a lot of questions regarding Jillian. There has already been a lot of buzz generated on the Discovery message boards about who she is and with her first 2 episodes airing I'm sure she's going to be the topic of interest."

Jillian slumped in her seat, she didn't really want to be the center of attention. Phil placed a comforting hand on her thigh giving it a gentle squeeze. Jillian gave him a hesitant smile before turning her attention back to Jeff.

"Well guys thanks again for your participation in this event I know your fans are going to love seeing all of you" said Jeff. "Now lets eat."

The group sat down for a delicious meal filled with wine and tall fishing tales. By the time dessert had been cleared away Jillian was pleasantly full and slightly buzzed.

"So Jills, what are we doing after this?" asked Josh.

"I don't know, taking a walk" said Jillian.

"We should raid the mini bar in your room and make a night of it" said Jonathon Hillstrand from behind Jillian.

"You could, the room is all on Jeff's dime" said Jillian with a smile.

"That settles it, lets spend some of Jeff's money" said Andy Hillstrand.

Jillian was surprised that so many people could actually fit into her room. She was perched on the window sill smoking a cigarette and watching Jonathon and Andy try to figure out the fastest way to fill the tub with ice for the beer. So far they were thinking of doing an ice bucket brigade down the hallway. Edgar and Norman sat on either side of Jillian acting like her own private bodyguards.

"Aren't you going to help with the bucket brigade?" asked Jillian.

"Um, no. Not until they've got it all figured out" said Norman.

"Why aren't you helping?" asked Edgar.

"Because I don't want to" said Jillian simply. "It's more entertaining to watch them try to figure it out."

"So Jilly what's up with you and Phil?" asked Norman.

"The relationship is undefined at this point" said Jillian.

"Well he's looking at us like we are pissing in his cereal" said Norman.

"Hm, maybe I should go over and talk to him said Jillian.

"No, I think you should stay here with us" said Edgar.

"I'll see you both later" said Jillian getting off the window seat.

Jillian walked through the mass of people to where Phil was sitting on the bed talking to Keith Colburn. She sat down next to Phil who immediately pulled her into his lap.

"Hey sweet girl" said Phil.

"Hi Phil. Hi Keith" said Jillian.

"Hey Jillian, how's your arm?" asked Keith.

"It's fine. Just a small scar" said Jillian.

"Can I see it?" asked Keith.

Jillian pulled up her sleeve and presented her arm to Keith. He ran his fingers over the small raised scar on her forearm.

"I'm impressed that it only scarred that much" said Keith. "I sewed up Lenny a few times and his scars are all bigger than this one."

"Well, Phil did a good job" said Jillian. "It's the first time I've ever gotten stitches and hopefully the two times I got them on the boat will be the last."

"You were ridiculously tough when he was stitching you up" said Keith.

"I think I was in shock. The pain kind of just made me go blank" said Jillian.

"What happened here?" asked Phil stroking his finger tips over her knuckles.

"Knucklebusters from one of the salvage jobs" said Jillian. "I'm getting some hard looking hands."

"Yeah I'd almost believe you if you didn't have red nail polish on your pretty little nails" said Phil.

"Well Jeff did suggest that I play up the fact that I'm a girl" said Jillian with an eye roll.

The night wore on and Jillian and Phil got a chance to reconnect a little as well as visit with the other captains. By the time it was just Jillian and Phil it was early in the morning.

"So Jillian, have you missed me?" asked Phil.

"Yes, but work has been ridiculous so I've been distracted from my longing for you" said Jillian.

"I've missed you so much" said Phil seriously. "There hasn't been a day that has gone by that I haven't thought of you."

Jillian smiled with sad eyes. She wished she could tell Phil the same thing but it would be a lie. Although she thought of him often, it wasn't everyday. The distance between them had given Jillian the time and space she needed to reassure herself that she was better off on her own.

"I want to take you out to dinner tomorrow night. If you're free" said Phil.

"I'd love to" said Jillian.

Phil gave Jillian a hug, rubbing his hands up and down her back. Jillian tipped her face up and Phil took the opportunity to capture Jillian's lips in a searing kiss. Suddenly hands were everywhere pulling at clothing and stroking the revealed skin. They both tumbled onto the bed once their clothes were completely removed. Phil lavished Jillian's body with attention, touching, kissing and loving every inch of her. Jillian surrendered herself to the feelings Phil was giving her. Her hands did not remain idle, she slid them over and around Phil's body reminding herself what he liked. The finally fell together Phil on top dominating Jillian's body. As they came together they both shouted each other's name. As Jillian nestled against Phil's chest she listened to his racing heart slow.

"It beats just for you" rumbled Phil.

"I hope it beats for you too" said Jillian.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Another chapter up, please read and review. I love hearing what you think of the story.

The next morning Peter called Jillian's room at 7 am. She and Phil had only been asleep for a scant 4 hours. Jillian had to crawl over Phil to answer the phone and as she lay on top of his warm soft body she smiled to herself before frowning and picking up the phone.

"Hello" said Jillian grumpily.

"Good Morning Jillian. I just wanted to let you know that we are ordering breakfast for you and it should be there in about 30 minutes. We are going to pick you up and take you to the venue around 10 am" said Peter.

"Wait, 10 am? Why are you calling me so early" complained Jillian.

"Because you're a girl, we assumed that you would need time to get ready. You know do your hair and makeup" said Peter.

"Right. Well here's a news flash. I don't take 3 hours to get ready. I probably won't even take an hour to get ready. Send breakfast around 9 and I will be ready to go at 10 am" said Jillian.

"Um, ok. I'll change the breakfast order time and Jeff and I will see you at 10" said Peter.

"Bye" said Jillian.

She hung up the phone and snuggled onto Phil's chest. His hands came up to caress Jillian's bare back. Them moved them down to her bottom, where he gave her a playful slap.

"Good Morning Jillian" rumbled Phil.

"Good Morning" said Jillian nuzzling Phil's ear.

"So what's with the wake up call?" asked Phil.

"It was Peter, giving me 3 hours to get ready for the event" said Jillian rolling off of Phil.

"Where are you going?" asked Phil snagging Jillian's wrist.

"No where, just moving to my side of the bed" said Jillian.

"I like it better when you are on my side" said Phil.

"I'm always on your side" said Jillian.

Phil leaned over and pulled Jillian into his arms, capturing her lips in a kiss. Their hands skimmed each other's bodies touching and caressing. Jillian climbed back onto Phil and seated him within her. She rode him using his body to provide herself pleasure. Phil watched her expression change as she approached her climax. He reached his fingers to her nub and stroked her until he felt her walls flutter around him. Once she'd come down from her orgasm he easily flipped her underneath him and pounded into her. Jillian arched into his thrusts loving each twinge as he hit her cervix. Phil smiled down at Jillian happy that he could make her feel good. He felt her start to climax again and allowed himself to follow her over the edge. As they lay together in the afterglow Phil's cell rang.

"Are you going to answer that?" asked Jillian.

"Nope, my hands are full" said Phil pulling Jillian in closer.

Jillian glanced at the clock and noticed it was after 8 am. Giving Phil one last scorching kiss she dragged herself out of the bed and headed to the bathroom. Phil ogled her butt as she walked across the room smiling at the view. Then he reached over and pulled out his cell. He noticed that Jake had called him and he quickly called him back.

"Hey Jakey, what's up?" asked Phil.

"Dad, Discovery is sending over a limo for us at 10, so I suggest you finish up with Jillian and head back here" said Jake.

"Ok, I'll leave in a few minutes. Thanks for the heads up" said Phil.

"Later" said Jake.

Phil heard the shower start and he got out of bed and padded across the floor to the bathroom.

Jillian was standing under the shower spray washing her hair. Phil admired the arch in her back and the way her breasts sat perkily on her chest. Deciding he needed to shower and might as well have some company he stepped into the stall behind Jillian.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long" said Jillian.

"Well I had to call Jake back" said Phil reaching around Jillian to grab the shampoo.

"What did Jake want?" asked Jillian.

"To tell me that the limo will be picking us up at 10 so I need to go home" said Phil.

"You better hurry then" said Jillian.

"I'm not in that much of a hurry" said Phil.

Phil pulled the bottle of conditioner out of Jillian's hands and proceeded to wash her hair. Jillian loved the feel of Phil's fingers flicking through her tresses. Jillian and Phil washed each other's body carefully and then got out of the shower and dried off. Jillian slipped into the terry cloth robe and sat down on the bed to watch Phil get dressed.

"Alright little lady, I need to go" said Phil.

"I'll see you in a little while" said Jillian.

"Don't forget dinner tonight" said Phil seriously.

"I won't, I'm excited for our special dinner" said Jillian.

Phil gave Jillian another kiss and then left. Jillian turned her attention to getting herself ready. She moved back into the bathroom and quickly blow dried her hair. Once her hair was done she put on a little makeup and waited for her breakfast to arrive.

At 10 am on the dot Peter and Jeff were knocking on her door. Jillian grabbed her purse and headed out the door. Peter and Jeff both looked mildly shocked as they took in Jillian's appearance. She was wearing a pair of well fitting jeans, a low cut angora sweater, ballet flats, her hair was straight and she had make up on.

"Wow, Jillian you look so girly" said Jeff with a smile.

"That's what you wanted right?" replied Jillian.

"Yes. But I didn't think you'd actually do it for me" said Jeff.

"Actually I didn't do it for you. I dress like this on special occasions and this is a special occasion" said Jillian.

"You look fantastic" said Jeff.

Peter took Jillian's arm and led her down the hall towards the lobby.

"How was breakfast?" asked Peter.

"It was delicious. Thanks for ordering it for me. I'm sure I'm going to need the sustenance for the day ahead" replied Jillian.

"Yeah just wait until you are signing all those autographs and answering all those questions" said Peter.

"Wait, what questions?" said Jillian.

"Well I think Jeff is putting you into the panel" said Peter.

"He's right. I even got you a special chair" said Jeff happily.

"What kind of questions are they going to ask me?" asked Jillian warily.

"They will probably ask you about life on the boat and if you will go back for another season" explained Jeff.

"Well those seem pretty easy" said Jillian.

The group got into the limo and Jillian was quickly shuttled to the venue. Jillian twisted her hands in her lap wondering if it would be rude to ask for a fortifying shot of vodka before she got out of the car. As they drove past the front of the warehouse Jillian was shocked to see the lines of people outside.

"There's got to be a thousand people here" blurted Jillian.

"We've invited about fifteen hundred fans" said Jeff.

"Wow, I didn't realize there were going to be so many people here" said Jillian.

"The show has a lot of diehard fans" explained Jeff.

"I can see that" said Jillian spying a group of ladies dressed in matching I (heart) Sig shirts.

The limo pulled around to the back of the warehouse and Jillian saw where the Wizard and the Northwestern Boats were tied up.

Jake and Matt had just finished rigging a few lines on the Northwestern when they saw the first limo approach. They both hopped over the deck to see who was arriving. As they walked up a vision in a fuzzy sweater appeared with a couple of Discovery guys.

"Hi Matt. Hi Jake" said the girl.

It took Matt a second to place the voice and he was surprised to realize that it belonged to Jillian. He never expected her to clean up so nicely.

"Jillian, I can't believe that's you" said Matt.

"Jillian? Wow, you look smokin hot" said Jake walking a circle around her.

"Thanks" said Jillian giving Jake a hug.

"Where is everybody else?" asked Matt.

"I suppose they are coming separately. My handlers wouldn't let me out of their sights" said Jillian looking at Peter and Jeff.

"Well we are only allowed on the boat, not allowed inside" said Matt with a pout.

"Oh I'm sure all your fans will find you" said Jillian with a wink.

"They better" said Matt.

As they were chatting another set of cars pulled up and the Hansen brothers emerged from one car and the Harris boys out of the other. Sig and Edgar came over to give Matt and Jake a hard time about being off the boat. As all four of them hoped down to tour the Northwestern Norman sidled up next to Jillian.

"Hey Jillian, you look really nice today" said Norman.

"Thanks. I think it's cute that you, Edgar and Sig all have matching shirts" teased Jillian.

"Yes, that was Sig's idea" said Norman.

"Are you and Edgar allowed on the panel stage or are you relegated to the boat like Matt and Jake?" asked Jillian.

"We are going to be around for the autographs, I'm not sure about the panel. I hope not for the panel" said Norman thoughtfully. "What about you?"

"I think I'm going to be on the panel, Jeff said he got me a special chair" said Jillian.

"I wish you lots of luck. Try to keep the cursing to a minimum" said Norman.

"I'll do my best" said Jillian.

Keith and Monty appeared on the deck of the Wizard. Jillian walked over to the edge of the dock and shouted her hellos.

"Come down" called Keith. "I'll give you a tour."

"She can't" said Jeff. "I need all of you up here, we are going to let the fans in soon and I need to get everyone placed."

"I'll take a tour later" said Jillian.

Once everyone was inside the building they were moved to their specific autograph tables. The plan was to let the fans in and have them start off getting autographs then move to the panel discussion and finally tours of the boats. In between the lines the fans would be able to participate in contests like sorting crabs and trying on survival suits. Phil, Jake, Josh and Jillian all sat together at one table. Sig, Norman and Edgar sat at the table on their left while Jonathon and Andy sat at the table on their right. Jillian sat at the table playing with the sharpie pens. She leaned over Phil and grabbed Jake's hand pulling it towards her. Next she drew a happy face on his thumb nail before releasing his hand. In retaliation Jake tried to mark her arm but missed hitting his dad.

"Alright you two, knock it off" said Phil.

"Sorry" said Jake.

Jillian however was completely unapologetic. In fact as if proving a point she gingerly ran her marker over the top of Phil's hand. Phil turned his face towards her frowning furiously.

"Don't start a war you can't win" said Phil.

"Oh I won't" said Jillian innocently.

There was a commotion from the front of the building and Jillian saw the crowd of people surge forward into the marked lines. She watched people of all ages walk through the lines towards their favorite crews. As the first group of people approached the table she smiled. They were 5 middle aged ladies all in "I love Phil" shirts. The first one approached and pinched Josh's cheeks handing him a homemade autograph book to sign. Josh smiled tightly, reached for a sharpie and signed the book before passing it down to Jake. Jake smiled at the lady who leaned over and turned the book to Jake's page, it showed a picture of him on the boat in his raingear. Jake smiled benignly at the woman and signed his name with a flourish. The woman picked up the book and turned it to a page that was covered with pictures of Phil in various stages of dress. They seemed to be pictures taken off of the TV. She handed Phil a special sparkly pen then set the book in front of him.

"Wow, that's quite a few pictures of me. I'm very flattered" said Phil as he signed.

"Well you are my favorite captain" said the woman.

Phil smiled and passed the book back to her. The woman set the book aside and leaned over to give Phil an awkward sitting hug. Jillian felt her temper flare slightly at the woman's brazenness. She quickly tamped the feeling down realizing that she was going to have it a thousand times in the next few hours. After the woman had received her hug she moved along and stopped in front of Jillian.

"So you're the girl" she said.

"Yes, I'm Jillian."

"I made something for you" said the woman reaching into her bag.

Jillian smiled as her mind flying through all the insane things this woman could pull out of her bag. Tops on Jillian's list were a human head or a sculpture made out of the woman's toenails and hair clippings. Therefore Jillian was pleasantly surprised when the woman pulled out a t-shirt that said "Girl Power" written in sparkly letters.

"It was awesome seeing you in the show. I bet you gave these guys a real run for their money" said the woman.

"Thanks" said Jillian with a blush.

Jillian gratefully took the proffered t-shirt and signed her page in the woman's book. Most of the autograph session passed without much fanfare. Phil and the boys got a lot of hugs, signed a few body parts and a lot of paraphernalia. As the autograph time was coming to an end a group of guys and their wives came up to the table. The wives gushed at Phil about how much they admired him as a captain and how great it was that he worked so closely with his sons. The husbands shook Phil's hand and thanked him for helping them get lucky whenever their wives watched the show. Jillian hid her smile with her hand and stifled a giggle at that comment. The husbands shuffled down the table and stopped in front of Jillian.

"Wow, are you the girl from the show this year?" one of them asked.

"Yes, I'm Jillian."

The man leaned over and whispered "you really helped me get it up for my wife" in Jillian's ear.

Jillian blushed bright red and dropped her eyes to the table top until the group had left the table.

"What's wrong?" asked Phil.

"I'll tell you later" said Jillian.

"Tell me now, did that guy say something to you?" asked Phil his voice growing angry.

"He basically told me I was his new Viagra on Catch nights" whispered Jillian.

Phil laughed out loud and patted Jillian on the knee.

After the autograph time was over the captains and Jillian headed to the panel room. The captains all got special thrones to sit in and got situated up on stage. Jeff smiled and showed Jillian to a small green room.

"You my dear are making a special entrance" said Jeff. "Peter will come and get you when it's time."

Jillian nodded and walked over to where Jake and Josh were standing. As she got closer she realized that there was a small bar full of beers and sodas. She picked up a coke and opened it.

"Hey Silly Jilly, you sure you don't want something stronger?" asked Josh waving a beer.

"Not really" said Jillian. "Although I needed one earlier but I think I'm fine now."

"How's your wrist from all the signing?" asked Jake.

"It's fine, how's yours? You signed a lot more than I did" said Jillian.

Jake and Josh regaled Jillian with their favorite autograph requests and Jillian told them about her Viagra comment. During her story Edgar and Norman wandered over and laughed uproariously at the conclusion. Peter came in a few minutes later and told Jillian it was her big moment.

"Good luck" chorused the guys as Jillian followed Peter to the panel.

The room was full to bursting with people asking the Captains questions and listening to their various answered and anecdotes. Jillian stood in the back of the stage behind the blue curtains. Peter was holding her arm whispering at her not to be nervous and not to reveal future plot developments. Jillian was about to tell him she hadn't seen the last episode yet so she didn't exactly know what she wasn't allowed to talk about, but was interrupted by Jeff introducing her.

"Well I'm sure you've all been surprised about the newest member of the Cornelia Marie crew this season. She's quite a special woman and she graciously agreed to be part of this panel so you can get to know her a little better. And in honor of her visit we made her a special throne" said Jeff.

There was a lot of laughing and applauding as Jeff pointed out Jillian's special seat.

"Please welcome Jillian Walters" announced Jeff.

At those words Peter all but pushed Jillian through the curtains and onto the stage. She staggered slightly under the force of the push and the brightness of the lights. Once her eyes adjusted she walked over to Peter who was standing next to a lurid pink chair with a princess tiara glued to the top of it. Jillian looked at the chair and then at Jeff before sitting down gracefully. Peter walked up to her, handed her a cordless microphone and patted her reassuringly on the shoulder.

"Alright Jillian, tell the crowd a little about yourself" prompted Jeff.

"Hi, I'm Jillian. I live in Dutch Harbor, I'm an engineer at Magone's, I was trained in the Navy and I enjoy tropical vacations" said Jillian with a smile.

"Ok, well lets open up the floor to any questions for Jillian or the rest of the captains" said Jeff.

"Yes, you. What's your question?" said Jeff.

"Jillian, why did you agree to go on Phil's boat? You didn't seem like you enjoyed it very much in the beginning."

"Actually I had no desire to go fishing but my uncle Walt got me my job at Magone's and took care of me when I first moved to Dutch so I felt I owed him. When Phil asked for help, Uncle Walt called in a personal favor asking me to go out on the trip" answered Jillian.

"Will you be back next season?"

"No, I think one trip on the Bearing Sea is enough for me" stated Jillian.

"What if I can't find another engineer?" asked Phil from the stage.

Jillian turned and looked at him but didn't answer.

"Alright, any other questions from the audience?" prompted Jeff.

"Why did you like wearing your pajamas so much?"

"Well most of the time I was in the pajamas I was either getting ready to go to sleep or getting up from sleeping. The time with me in the wheelhouse was because Phil likes to keep it above 80 degrees in there, which is way to hot for me. And every time I opened the window it would blow his papers around. So I just figured it would be easier to just wear the cooler pajamas up there" said Jillian.

"How is your arm? Did you have to get it re-stitched?"

"My arm is fine, I have a small scar. No I didn't get it re-stitched Dr. Phil and nurse Josh did a fantastic job" said Jillian with a smile.

"Do you think any woman could do the job out there?"

"I think that given enough training yes anyone could do it. The question is why would you want to? I didn't go on the Cornelia Marie to prove that a woman could do this job, I went as a favor for my uncle. I would never carry the mantle of girls are as good as guys because in many things we are better, like listening and personal hygiene. However in all honesty men are better at fishing because they are bigger, stronger and willing to stupidly do the same thing day in and day out without complaint" said Jillian.

The questioning went on for a little while longer and finally the panel discussion was called to an end. The group of fans filed out to the boats for the tours leaving the Captains and Jillian alone in the room.

"How do you think you did?" asked Phil.

"Fine I guess. I had no idea they would have so many questions" said Jillian.

"Are you still up for dinner tonight?" asked Phil quietly.

"Yes, I'm really looking forward to it" said Jillian earnestly.

"I'll pick you up at your hotel at 7. Wear something special" said Phil with a wink.

The rest of the afternoon passed with boat tours and a few more hugs from fans. Jillian arrived back at the hotel around 5 and promptly laid down on the bed. She was exhausted from Catch Con and wanted to take a quick nap before she got ready for her special dinner date. She wondered what Phil had planned. She'd watched him surreptitiously throughout the day happily fantasizing about their special evening. The chilly anger in her heart was slowly melting but the reality of their separate lives wasn't far from her thoughts either.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews, there are like candy for my writers soul. Please note this chapter contains adult situations. Please continue to read and review.

Phil paced nervously outside Jillian's door. He was a few minutes early and wanted to give her as much time as he'd promised before he knocked. He'd spent the past few hours going over all the details for their date. He'd confirmed the restaurant reservations, bought her flowers, showered, shaved and dressed to impress. He'd also nervously smoked half a pack of cigarettes and worn a path in his hall carpet at home. Jillian on the other hand was perfectly content on the other side of the door. She was lounging on the bed happily watching some reality MTV show about teenage mothers. She was dressed to the nines, the only thing missing were her shoes which were placed carefully on the desk next to her purse and wrap. Jillian had spent the last hour redoing her hair and makeup after her shower. She'd shaved all the appropriate areas and smelled delicious. At exactly 7PM Phil knocked at the door. Jillian opened the door and invited Phil inside.

"Hi, you look sexy" said Jillian.

"You look amazing" said Phil his eyes traveling over her body.

"These are for you" said Phil handing her the flowers.

"Thank you, I hope I'm dressed appropriately" said Jillian twirling around in a small circle. "These are absolutely beautiful and they smell wonderful. Almost as good as you."

"You look perfect" said Phil.

"Do we have time for a drink or are we on a tight schedule?" asked Jillian.

"We can have a drink on the way to the restaurant" said Phil.

Jillian nodded, wondering vaguely how they were going to drink in the car. Her musings were answered by the sight of a limo waiting outside.

"Wow, two limos in one day. A girl could get use to this" said Jillian as she slipped into the car.

"Only the best for you" said Phil with a smile.

The car inched it's way towards the restaurant. Phil leaned over and plucked a bottle of champagne from an ice bucket, opened it and poured it into a pair of champagne flutes. He passed Jillian one and kept the other for himself.

"To a successful day amid the fans" said Jillian tapping her glass against Phil's.

"To you Jillian" said Phil.

They both slipped slowly and had just finished their glasses as they arrived at the restaurant.

Inside the restaurant Jillian and Phil were led to the private dinning room which had a beautiful view of the bay. Phil was a perfect gentlemen holding the door for Jillian and pulling out the chair for her. Once they were seated at the table the waiter appeared instantly with two dirty Martinis.

"My favorite" exclaimed Jillian before taking a small sip of her drink.

"I thought it might be a favorite" said Phil with a small smile.

"This is all amazing" said Jillian. "I'm feeling very special."

"You are special. You are very very special to me" said Phil.

Jillian smiled at this comment but dropped her eyes to the table.

"I have something for you, but before I give it to you I need to tell you something" said Phil seriously.

"Ok, I'm listening" said Jillian.

"I'm a two time looser at love. I've hurt the women in my life and I've been hurt by them. I feel like I'm cursed to have success in every other part of life but love always escapes me. I don't want to get married again because the last two have turned out so horribly. But I want to make a commitment to you. I love you, I realized it the moment you got on the plane back to Dutch. You are so special to me and I don't want to lose you. You are the most amazing woman I've ever met and I love everything about you. Your smile makes my heart skip a beat and your laugh is music to my ears. I would happily have a child with you, I would offer everything I have to make you happy. I love you" finished Phil.

"Wow" said Jillian. "I have to be honest with you. When I went back to Dutch I basically just worked all the time in order to get you out of my mind. But at night I always thought of you, I fell asleep thinking of your hands on my body. I know given more time I could easily get over you, but I'm not sure if I could ever be as happy as I am with you. The only problem is we live very different lives very far away from each other for the majority of the year. I don't know if I can give you all the time and attention you deserve. But I do love you and I'm willing to try and make this work."

"I'm not asking for much, just every waking minute of the day" said Phil jokingly.

"You should move to Dutch, then I'll just carry you around in a little baby snuggie thing all day" said Jillian with a smirk.

"I have a better idea" said Phil.

He was interrupted by the waiter appearing with their appetizers and a bottle of white wine. The waiter explained the dish and poured the wine then disappeared.

"This is delicious. I've never had anyone order for me at a restaurant. Every course is like a little present, a delicious surprise" said Jillian happily.

"Back to my proposal" said Phil.

"I'm all ears" said Jillian.

"I want you to work with me over the summer rebuilding the Cornelia Marie's engine. I want to hire you to supervise the repairs" said Phil.

"Where would I be doing this?" asked Jillian.

"Well we could do it up in Kodiak where the repairs normally get done or we could use some place down here" answered Phil.

"I don't know if I can ask for more time off of work. The shop has been really busy lately" said Jillian thoughtfully.

"I would like to call Magone's and ask them personally" said Phil. "Hire you out of the shop, so they get a little of the money too."

"If you want to do it that way I think they may agree" said Jillian.

"Great" said Phil.

Their salads arrived and while Jillian and Phil ate quietly they both considered the consequences of this new arrangement.

"I want to give you something" said Phil reaching into his pocket.

Phil pulled out a small black box. It was clearly a jewelry box and if Jillian hadn't heard earlier in the night that Phil didn't want to get married again she would have been very worried. Phil opened the small box and presented Jillian with a ring. It was an emerald cut ruby surrounded by small diamonds. Jillian sat frozen, she was shocked at the gift.

"I can't accept this" said Jillian.

"Don't you like it?" asked Phil.

"It's beautiful, but it's too much" said Jillian.

"I want you to have it. Think of it as a promise ring. A ring that seals our promises to each other" said Phil.

"Then shouldn't I have gotten you one?" asked Jillian.

"You can give me one if you want to and I'll happily wear it. Will you put this one on now?" asked Phil.

Jillian pulled the box towards her and carefully extracted the ring. She slipped it onto her right hand ring finger smiling at the perfect fit.

"How did you know my ring size?" asked Jillian.

"June helped me" said Phil.

"Wow, that's surprising. How did that happen?" asked Jillian.

"Well it's quite a story. Sig called me the day you left and asked me out for a drink. He brought his lovely wife who proceeded to tell me in no uncertain terms that I was an idiot for hurting you. I agreed completely and asked her advice on how to make it up to you. Her one word answer was jewelry. She even offered to go with me to the store and help me select an appropriate gift. However I picked this one out myself and she approved of my choice and helped me get the size right" explained Phil.

"It's lovely and I'll cherish it always" said Jillian reverently admiringly the ring on her finger.

"Oh yes, dinner has arrived" said Phil as the waiter approached the table.

The dinner consisted of a delicious porterhouse steak for two, roasted vegetables and truffled mashed potatoes. Both Phil and Jillian ate until they were full to bursting. As they picked at their creme brulee dessert they smiled happily at each other.

"This is the best date I've ever been on" admitted Jillian.

"It has been wonderful. I've certainly never put this much effort into planning one before" said Phil.

"Thank you very much for everything" said Jillian.

"The nights not over yet" said Phil with a playful wink.

After whisking Jillian back to the hotel to pick up her belongings they headed back to his house. Phil opened the door for Jillian leading her inside his darkened house. Bypassing the downstairs area he led her upstairs to the bedroom.

"Just give me a minute" said Phil as he lit a few scattered candles with his lighter.

"Did you do all this for me?" asked Jillian.

The bed and the room were covered in rose petals, there were candles on every surface and a bottle of champagne chilling in a cooler.

"Everything for you" said Phil.

Jillian moved towards the bed and noticed a red nightly was laid out.

"Is this for me?" asked Jillian.

"Yes, I'd be very happy if you would wear it tonight" said Phil huskily.

"Ok, give me a moment and I'll change into it" said Jillian.

She disappeared into the bathroom and quickly reemerged dressed in the beautiful silk sheath. Phil walked up to her and collected her into his arms, picking her up and carried her to the bed. He laid her down reverently before stripping out of everything but his boxers. Jillian smiled as Phil's body came into view, it seemed to her he'd been working out a bit. Phil walked over to the champagne and deftly popped the cork. Passing Jillian a glass of bubbly he sat on the bed next to her. Picking up her hand he studied the ring he'd given her.

"Do you really like it?" he asked.

"Yes, almost as much as I like the man that gave it to me" said Jillian.

She leaned over and softly kissed Phil's cheek, then his neck before moving to place a spattering of kisses over his back. She reached a ticklish spot about half way down his back and teased him mercilessly until he was forced to retaliate. Jillian barely had time to set down her glass before Phil was on top of her stroking his fingers over her body in an attempt to find out where she as vulnerable to attack. Finally finding her flanks were the most ticklish part he started to run his fingers up and down her sides making her squirm and laugh. Deciding that the playful part of their evening had reached it's end he leaned down and captured a nipple between his lips. He sucked hard on it through the silken material causing Jillian to arch into his mouth and moan gently. Phil slipped the straps of the gown off of her shoulders exposing her chest to his mouth. He sucked and nipped at her flesh until Jillian was writhing on the bed. Slipping the nighty off completely he saw that Jillian was not wearing any underwear. His fingers found her clit and he stroked her while sucking at her tender breasts. Jillian fell over the edge of a powerful orgasm flooding Phil's questing fingers with fluid. Not letting her come down fully from her high Phil stripped off his boxers and quickly mounted Jillian thrusting into her still spasming center. Jillian bucked at the intrusion and the both quickly found a mutual satisfying rhythm. Phil found himself already close to the edge and dropped his finger to Jillian's clit to try to coax her to another orgasm. Pounding against each other they roared out their climax together. Falling into sated exhaustion they huddled together their sweat soaked bodies until Phil finally was able to reach down and cover them with the blanket.

The next morning Jillian received a frantic call from Peter asking her where she was. She simply answered she was with a friend and would find her own way back to the airport. Next she personally called Jeff thanking him for the opportunity to participate in Catch Con. Phil laid next to her stroking her body while she spoke on the phone. He teased her until her breath started to hitch. Jillian quickly hung up the phone before she moaned in Jeff's ear. She turned to Phil and smiled.

"Good morning" she said happily.

"Great morning" remarked Phil. "I thought before you have to take off we could go for a ride."

"Sure, where are you taking me?" asked Jillian.

"Just for a ride. No destination in mind" said Phil.

After a round of lovemaking in the shower Phil and Jillian finally got dressed. Jillian walked out the door and headed towards Phil's truck when he stopped her.

"Not in the truck, on the bike" said Phil pointing towards his Harley.

Jillian looked slightly unsure about getting on something that had no doors or safety restraints but she'd already agreed so she felt compelled to give it a chance.

"If I get scared do you promise to stop?" asked Jillian.

"You will be perfectly safe, I'll never let anything happen to you" said Phil reassuringly.

Phil rolled the bike out of the garage and handed Jillian a helmet. She put the helmet on taking care to tighten the strap, figuring if her head did meet the concrete at least it had a chance of staying in one piece. Phil got on the bike and turned to Jillian patting the seat behind him. Jillian scrambled onto the bike and sat completely still before tapping Phil on the shoulder.

"What is it?" asked Phil.

"Where do I put my hands? And are there any rules about being a passenger?" asked Jillian.

"Put your hands on my waist, don't hold on too tight, and don't yell in my ears" said Phil.

"Ok, I think I can do all that" said Jillian wrapping her arms around Phil's waist.

Phil started the bike and it roared to life. Jillian almost laughed out loud at the thought of yelling louder than the bike's engine. If that had really happened the person in question must have had exceptional lungs. The bike took off down the drive and was quickly weaving through the streets of Phil's neighborhood. Jillian tried her best to keep her squeezing and screaming to a minimum although the way Phil whipped around corners made her squeeze her eyes shut and pray for her safety. Winding up a rather steep mountain path Jillian finally opened her eyes and began to enjoy the view. Phil pointed out a few sights as they drove but Jillian couldn't really hear what he was saying. After an hour Phil pulled into the parking lot of a small coffee shop and parked the bike.

"How about a cup of coffee?" he asked.

"Ok" said Jillian.

"You have to let go of my waist so we can get off the bike" said Phil

Jillian released her death grip on Phil's waist and allowed Phil to pull her off the bike.

The coffee shop was empty except for the employees and Jillian and Phil quickly put in their orders and sat down in a pair of comfy leather chairs. The waitress brought their coffees and Jillian quickly picked hers up enjoying the way it warmed her hands. Taking a sip of the hot liquid she set it back on the table to cool off a little. Phil drank a quick swallow of the brew and surreptitiously watched Jillian over the top of his cup. She hadn't said much during the ride but he figured it was probably because she was either enjoying the scenery or had her eyes closed.

"Did you have fun?" asked Phil.

"Yes, once I got use to it" said Jillian. "It's a little wild not having doors or a seatbelt or anything between me and the ground."

"I promise I'll keep you safe" said Phil solemnly.

After they finished their coffee they got back on the bike and headed back to Phil's house. This time Jillian was slightly more talkative and a lot less scared. As they pulled into Phil's driveway Jillian was sad to see the ride come to an end. Jillian quickly packed up her suitcase and Phil drove her to the airport. This time the trip to the airport was a more joyous occasion. Phil was happy because Jillian had accepted his promise ring and agreed to let him hire her for the Cornelia Marie's engine repairs. Jillian was happy because she was in love. The trip back to Dutch was uneventful and Jillian headed back to work the next day anxious to hear the deal Phil struck with Magone's.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: This chapter was a little hard to write for some reason. Perhaps it was the internet issues or maybe it was just me. Either way it's done and I hope the next one comes a little easier. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, they really kept me going through my frustrations. Please continue to read and if the urge to review hits you do that as well.

*Please not this chapter contains adult situations, consider yourself warned.

Jillian spent next few weeks working at Magone's. Phil had called the shop a few days after Jillian returned to work, he spoke to Tony and Jillian's contract work had been approved. She would be traveling to Seattle to supervise the repairs starting the following week. Her contract was open ended since the rebuilding of both of the Cornelia Marie's engines would take some time. Phil had called her daily asking if there was any special food she wanted him to buy for her or if she had a preference of what kind of breakfast cereal she liked to eat. She'd had a very interesting conversation with her Uncle Walt regarding her relationship with Phil. He surprised her by being supportive of her new relationship with his former boss. Walt even went so far as to call Phil and wish him good luck with his niece. He also agreed to take care of Jillian's place while she was away working. His only concern was that Jillian would be too distracted by Phil to put her full attention onto her work. She of course assured him that she would keep the romantic parts of her life strictly separate from her work life. As Jillian made all the preparations for her trip she completely cleaned and honed her tools making sure that everything was in perfect working order.

The day arrived and found Phil once again anxiously waiting for Jillian to arrive at his home. Instead of picking her up at the airport Jillian insisted she wanted to rent a car so she wouldn't have to borrow Phil's all the time to get back and forth to work. Jake and Josh had heard Jillian was coming in today and were doing their best to get on Phil's last nerve. Jake had come over earlier announcing his plan to make steaks for dinner then Josh had arrived a few hours after with a case of beer he claimed was Jillian's favorite. They had been in Phil's house since, harassing him. Phil was just about to kill both of them and bury their bodies in the backyard when there was a knock at the door. Jake and Josh both jumped up and hurried to answer it, they jostled each other and finally managed to open the door to find Jillian on the doorstep.

"Hi guys" said Jillian.

"Hey, come in. Dad's been absolutely climbing the walls waiting for you" said Josh.

"Ok, well I wouldn't want him to have to wait any longer" said Jillian.

She walked past Jake and Josh into the living room of the house. Phil was standing in front of his couch expectantly, the moment he saw Jillian he opened his arms and she rushed into them. They kissed, their mouths sealing together as their tongues dueled. Phil's hands drifted down her back kneading the flesh of her bottom.

"Damn you two, get a room" said Jake.

Phil and Jillian untangled themselves from each other and Jillian looked away blushing slightly.

"How was your trip?" asked Phil.

"Fine" said Jillian.

"What kind of car did you pick?" asked Phil curiously.

"Oh yeah, lets see the rental car" chirped Jake.

"It's just an little SUV" said Jillian.

"Lets see it" said Phil.

Jillian led the guys out to see the Ford Escape she'd rented. While they were out there Phil grabbed her bag out of the trunk and handed it to Josh.

"Is this all you packed?" asked Phil.

"Yes, I'm going to be working on the boat and I really didn't need to pack a lot of clothes" said Jillian.

"Well you probably won't be wearing too many here" whispered Phil into her ear.

Jillian, Phil, Jake and Josh shared a delicious meal, the "Jake Steaks" were delicious. The boys left after dinner allowing Jillian and Phil a little time on their own.

Upstairs in the bedroom Phil showed Jillian the part of the closet he'd cleared out for her clothes and the shelf in the bathroom for her to place her toiletries. Jillian was practically giddy at the realization that Phil had made special spaces for her all over the house.

"Why are you smiling like that?" asked Phil.

"I'm just really flattered and happy that you made all this space for me" said Jillian.

"You don't take up too much space. You are the perfect size" said Phil pinching her.

Jillian took a few minutes to hang her clothes and sort out her toiletries. She hung up a few dresses in the closet and then quietly slipped into a nightgown. Phil watched her for a little while then moved into the extra bedroom to pull out a few extra pillows. As he walked back into the room he was surprised to see Jillian in a long silken nightgown. It was dark pink which gave her pale skin a healthy glow.

"You know I'd love to see your ass the same color as your dress" said Phil thoughtfully.

"Well maybe you will get the chance" said Jillian with a sly smile.

"I've missed you" said Phil moving behind Jillian.

He pulled her hair to the side and placed a kiss on the back of her neck. Then he turned her in his arms and sealed his mouth to hers. His tongue plunged into her mouth sucking at her tongue, loving the taste. His hands slipped down her chest and plucked at her nipples through the thin material of the gown. Jillian let out a moan of contentment before dropping her head to Phil's shoulder. She placed a sucking kiss on his neck careful not to make a mark. Phil's hand slipped down her body and bunched up the bottom of the nightgown until it was above her hips. He stroked the flesh of her bottom before inspecting the pink scrap of fabric she was wearing as underwear. Giving Jillian a seductive kiss he turned her so she was facing the bed. She obligingly bent at the waist presenting her bottom to him. He flipped up the nightdress exposing her panty clad bottom to the cool air of the room. Jillian looked over her shoulder and noticed the huge smile spread across Phil's face as he gazed upon her body. Phil leaned forward and fingered the string of her panty, he pulled it to the side and swiped his finger through her womanhood testing her wetness. Jillian was already wet and ready for Phil's attention however he planned to give her a little more foreplay before the main event. Sliding off the underwear Phil dropped them to the floor before stripping down to his boxers. Jillian watched him over her shoulders feeling more than a little turned on. She desperately wanted to feel Phil's body over hers however she knew what he was interested in and that she would have to wait for what she wanted. The first blow landed solidly on her right butt cheek and caused Jillian to jump. Phil's hand continued to rain spanks down on her backside. Each stung her skin and she struggled not to move. Phil finally took a break and moved the silk of her nightgown down over her abused flesh. The coolness of the nightgown soothed Jillian's sore skin.

"Well I think it's almost the same color" said Phil happily. "And since you've been such a good little girl I think a reward is in order."

Phil leaned forward and placed an open kiss on Jillian's dripping center. He tasted her, careful not to brush against her hurting bottom. She moaned heartily and ground herself into Phil's questing mouth. Phil gave her body one last lick before standing up and removing his last piece of clothing. Climbing onto the bed Phil lined himself up and slid home. Phil tried to keep himself in check and avoid slamming his body into Jillian's abused backside. Jillian however loved the feeling of Phil inside her and was pushing herself back to meet Phil's thrusts. Before long both Jillian and Phil were smashing their bodies against each other striving to reach completion. Jillian reached her hand down to her clit and stroked herself to completion. As her body fluttered around him Phil pounded into Jillian until he reached his finish. Once they were both sated and exhausted they collapsed on the bed. Phil levered himself out of bed and trudged to the bathroom to get a towel and some lotion. When he returned to the bed he used the towel to clean up Jillian and slathered her bottom with lotion. Jillian for her part is already fast asleep exhausted from their activities.

Phil and Jillian drove to the shipyard where the Cornelia Marie was dry docked for her repairs. Phil had given Jillian a general idea of what she could expect to see when she inspected the engine. Once they pulled up at the shipyard Jillian grabbed her tool bag and walked towards the boat. Phil stayed with Jillian as she inspected the engine and once she started making notes about what repairs were crucial he left her to do her work. After a few hours Phil got bored watching Jillian make notes in her notebook and walked along the docks checking out the other boats being repaired. He wasn't surprised when he came upon the Northwestern which was also being repaired during the off season. Edgar and Matt were on deck when Phil approached.

"Hey Phil" said Edgar.

"Hey Edgar, how's the repairs going?" asked Phil.

"Slow. It's like every time we get something fixed we find something else that's broken" said Edgar. "Who's doing your repairs?"

"Jillian is overseeing the engine repairs, then we are doing a little body work and getting her repainted" said Phil.

"Jillian's here?" said Edgar surprised.

"Yep" said Phil happily.

"Well that's good for you guys. I hope" said Edgar.

"I think it will be" said Phil.

"Do you let her out of the house after work?" asked Matt.

"Sometimes, I suppose it just depends on how well behaved she is" answered Phil.

"Well tell her to be good so we can go out for drinks some time" said Matt.

"I'll let her know" said Phil.

Phil walked back to the Cornelia Marie, hopped down on deck and began to search for Jillian. He found her sitting in the galley with the engine specs in front of her and her notebook. She was quickly jotting down what she wanted to do and the order in which she wanted to do it. Tomorrow she would meet the rest of the repair crew and she wanted to be able to give them clear instructions. She'd already checked the parts she had on board and which were available for repairs. The list of parts she needed to order was already long and would get longer once she started to take the engine apart. Overhauling the Cornelia Marie's two main engines would take, in her estimation, the better part of 6 weeks if the parts were available and shipped quickly. Her plan for the next day was to pull out the engine and start to dismantle it, she would do them one at a time so the parts wouldn't get mixed up. Everything needed to be removed and completely cleaned, re-greased and reassembled. It was going to be a long and difficult repair, she only hoped that it would go as smoothly as possible. Phil cleared his throat startling Jillian from her work.

"Hi, where did you sneak off to?" asked Jillian.

"I went to see which other boats are getting repaired here" answered Phil.

"Anyone you know?" asked Jillian.

"The Hansen boys are just down the street" said Phil. "Matt and Edgar say hello."

"Well when you are wandering around next time say hello for me" said Jillian.

"I'm sure you will see them around. Matt wants to take you out for happy hour or something" said Phil.

"I'll have to call Edgar and say hello" said Jillian.

"Are you ready to call it a day?" asked Phil.

"Yeah, I guess so. The real work starts tomorrow" said Jillian.

Phil and Jillian went home, ate a quick dinner and spent the rest of the night finding pleasure in each other's bodies.

The repair went fairly smoothly the biggest stumbling block seemed to be the ordering and expected delivering of parts. The crew Jillian was working with took a few days to warm up to the idea of taking orders from a girl that on average didn't reach their shoulders. However once they started to see her work all thoughts of her size and ability were completely dismissed. Jillian had managed to make it to a few happy hours with Matt. She saw Jake and Nick a few times and even promised to babysit for Edgar. As the weeks began to pass she was able to find a happy balance between work and her personal life. Jillian began to reassemble the second engine and as she did this she realized that her time here in Seattle was quickly coming to a close. If everything went as planned she had less than 2 weeks until her portion of the boat rehab was complete. She'd just finished the days work and was headed out to see how the rest of the crew was fairing when she got a surprise. As she appeared on deck she saw a familiar face talking to one of the painters.

"Hi Edgar" said Jillian.

"Hey Jillian. I've been waiting for you to appear" said Edgar.

"Why didn't you just come down and find me?" asked Jillian.

"Because I hate it when people interrupt me when I'm fixing something, so I thought I would give you the same space and respect I want when I'm working on an engine" said Edgar.

"Thanks, I appreciate it" said Jillian. "What did you need?"

"A babysitter for tonight" said Edgar. "I want to take Louise out for dinner and maybe a movie or something."

"Ok. Can my boyfriend come over?" asked Jillian with a smile.

"No" said Edgar seriously.

"Well I don't know if I can do it tonight" said Jillian.

"Too bad you already said yes" said Edgar haughtily.

"Fine, but Phil will be disappointed" said Jillian.

"Yeah, well, I suppose he will survive a few hours away from you" said Edgar.

"What time do you want me to be there?" asked Jillian.

Edgar checked his watch and then looked Jillian up and down.

"I suppose you want to shower and change" said Edgar.

Jillian looked down at her soiled coveralls and dirty hands.

"Yes, I want to change. I assume that you do too" said Jillian.

"True. Can you be to the house by 6 or 6:30?" asked Edgar.

"Yes, I can do that" said Jillian.

Just then Phil walked up to pair, shook Edgar's hand and gave Jillian a kiss on the cheek.

"You taste like grease" said Phil.

"Well I have been working on putting your engine back together so it shouldn't be too surprising" said Jillian.

"What brings you to the boat?" asked Phil to Edgar.

"I needed a babysitter and Jillian has happily agreed" replied Edgar.

"Oh cool, I've always wanted to make out with the babysitter" said Phil with a leer.

"Alright, well that's not going to happen. Just Jillian as the babysitter no boyfriends" said Edgar.

"What? Why? I'll be on my best behavior" said Phil.

"Seriously Phil, I don't want to have a birds and bees discussion with my kids" said Edgar.

"Fine" said Phil with a pout.

"Well I need to go home to shower and change. I'll see you both later" said Jillian.

She grabbed her stuff, hopped off the deck and headed to the SUV.

An hour or so later Jillian knocked on Edgar's front door. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Louise opened the door and smiled happily the moment she saw Jillian's face.

"Hi Jillian, it's so good to see you. Thanks for coming on such short notice" said Louise.

"It's my pleasure. Edgar assured me that all your children are angels" said Jillian.

"Yes, well of course they are. I mean look who their father is" said Louise.

"Oh my I'm screwed" said Jillian.

"Well not to add another burden to you but I didn't have a chance to make dinner" said Louise.

"No problem, I can go ahead and make something for them" said Jillian.

"We can leave you some money to order pizza or something" said Louise.

"Either way is fine with me" said Jillian.

"Come on in and I'll introduce you to the kids" said Louise.

Jillian walked through the living room and met Edgar in the family room. He was attempting to get a tie on.

"Hi Edgar" said Jillian.

"Hey Jillian. Louise are you ready?" asked Edgar.

"Almost. I was going to introduce Jillian to the kids" said Louise.

"Get ready, we have reservations. I'll introduce her" said Edgar.

Louise gave Jillian's shoulder a squeeze and then headed upstairs to finish getting ready. Edgar grabbed Jillian by the arm and steered her into the kitchen where 3 kids were grumpily sitting around a kitchen table. The youngest boy seemed to be coloring in a coloring book, the girl who was slightly older was doing a worksheet and the oldest boy was doing something with a calculator.

"Hey kids, this is Jillian. She's going to be your babysitter tonight. She's a crab fisherman so don't try any crap" said Edgar.

"Jillian, this little one is Eric, this lovely lady is Emma and this brooding teenager is Michael" said Edgar.

"Hi, it's nice to meet all of you" said Jillian.

"Alright, well your mom and I are leaving. Be good. Jillian come with me" said Edgar.

"Ok this is the deal, Eric goes to bed at 8:30, Emma at 9, Michael at 10 if he's good. No internet for Michael, he is on restriction. He may or may not be helpful tonight but the other two should be pretty good for you. Alright good luck, we will be home late" said Edgar. "LOUISE LETS GO!!"

Jillian walked Edgar and Louise to the door and waved goodbye as they drove down the driveway. Turning around she walked back inside to see what she should make for dinner.

Jillian walked into the kitchen and saw that the kids were still sitting quietly at the table. She opened the fridge and saw that the house was completely stocked. Jillian smiled, she saw enough ingredients to make 10 different kinds of meals.

"What do you guys want for dinner?" asked Jillian.

"I want macaroni and cheese" said Emma.

"I want shrimp" said Michael.

"I want cookies" said Eric.

"Ok" said Jillian and turned towards the fridge.

"Which one are you making?" asked Michael.

"All of them" replied Jillian.

She pulled out a bag of frozen shrimp and set it in a colander in the sink to thaw. Next she pulled out some cheese and milk from the fridge.

"Who wants to help me make mac and cheese?" asked Jillian.

"Um, we usually use the blue box" said Michael.

"Well I thought I'd make it from scratch today. Do you want to see how I do it and help me make it?" asked Jillian.

"Um ok" said Emma.

"Me too" said Eric.

Jillian helped the two younger kids pull chairs up to the counter. Michael casually stood at the end of the counter watching with detached interest. Jillian put on a pot to boil water and pulled out the different ingredients for making dinner.

"Ok Emma why don't you help me measure out the butter and start melting it in the pan" said Jillian. "And Eric why don't you grate the cheese."

Eric started to grate but found it a little more difficult than he could manage. He'd just started to sniffle when Michael stepped in and carefully guided Eric's hand over the grater. Jillian noticed but said nothing, she didn't want to break the spell.

"Emma, we need to melt 6 tablespoons of butter how much is that?" asked Jillian.

Emma picked up the butter and glanced at the side studying it then she sliced the amount she needed and dropped it in the pan.

"Ok, next we need to add some flour to start the sauce" said Jillian. "How's the cheese coming Eric?"

"All done" said Eric proudly.

"Great. Can you shell the shrimp?" asked Jillian.

"I don't know what that means" said Eric.

"Don't worry, I'll help" said Michael.

"Great. Emma, lets stir in the cheese" said Jillian.

The kids and Jillian worked hard to assemble the meal. Jillian slipped the shrimp mac and cheese in the oven and helped Eric set the timer. She started cleaning up the kitchen and noticed that the dishwasher was full of clean dishes.

"Can you guys help me empty this?" asked Jillian.

"That's Emma's job" said Michael.

"Oh, well I'm going to do it but I don't know where everything goes" said Jillian.

She pulled out the plates carefully stacking them on the counter. She did the same for the glasses and then pulled out the tray of silverware. Emma reached out and grabbed the tray from her hand and moved to the drawer and put them away. Michael picked up the stacks of plates and put them in the proper cabinet. Even Eric did his part by showing Jillian where the glasses belonged. The whole dishwasher was empty in just a few minutes.

The kids and Jillian ate dinner on a blanket in the living room, they were having a teddy bear picnic at Eric's request. The smell of baking cookies wafted through the house making all the kids anxious for dessert.

"So what's this bears name?" asked Jillian.

"His name is Jake" said Emma.

"That's a nice name" said Jillian.

"He's named after Jake from the boat. He gave him to me for my birthday last year" explained Emma.

"So if I gave you a bear would you name it after me?" asked Jillian.

"Um, maybe if it was a girl bear" said Emma.

"I'll have to keep that in mind" said Jillian. "So what do you guys usually do after dinner?"

"Well we usually finish our homework" said Emma.

"I thought most kids were on summer vacation" said Jillian.

"Our schools go year around" said Michael glumly.

"Well I can help you guys so we can finish quicker then maybe we can play a game or something" said Jillian.

Dinner was finished and the picnic quickly cleaned up. Eric sat happily in Jillian's lap as she helped Emma finish her phonics worksheet. Michael's math problems were a little more challenging for Jillian but once she recalled her high school algebra class she managed to help him finish the last of his problems. Once everyone was finished the cookies were cool enough to eat. Jillian poured everyone a glass of milk and they sat at the kitchen table dunking their cookies.

"Do you guys know how to play spoons?" asked Jillian.

"No, I've never heard of that game" said Michael.

"Well all we need is 3 spoons and a deck of cards" said Jillian.

Emma and Eric got the spoons while Michael found a deck of cards. Jillian explained the rules of the game and they started to play. Eric sat in Jillian's lap helping her manage her hand and she would nudge him when it was time to pick up a spoon. By his bedtime Eric had become very sly at picking up the spoon without the others noticing.

Jillian took Eric upstairs and gave him a quick bath before tucking him in bed. She read him a few stories and even sang him a lullaby. Michael stood just outside the door listening to Jillian read and sing. Just as Jillian was about to leave the room Michael walked in.

"He needs his nightlight on" said Michael flipping on a small switch.

"Thanks, I didn't realize" said Jillian.

"Night Eric, sleep well" said Michael.

Jillian and Michael walked out of Eric's room and were both surprised to see Emma standing in the hallway.

"What's up Emma?" asked Jillian.

"Daddy's show is on tonight. Can I stay up and watch it?" asked Emma.

"Um, are you allowed to?" asked Jillian.

"Yes" said Emma.

Jillian turned to look at Michael who just nodded his head.

"Ok, but why don't you get ready for bed and then you can watch it in your pjs and go to bed once it's over" said Jillian.

"Ok" said Emma.

Michael looked at Jillian and smiled before heading into his room. Jillian walked downstairs and turned on the tv. She noticed that the show was already in progress and panicked that the kids would miss it. Then she noticed the little red light telling her that the show was recording. Michael appeared and plucked the remote out of Jillian's hand resetting the show to the beginning. Emma appeared a few minutes later and all three settled in to watch the Deadliest Catch. The show started with the recap of last weeks events then moved into the new episode. Jillian watched in amazement as the camera showed her getting her second set of stitches.

"Wow that looked like it hurt" said Michael.

"I can't believe you didn't cry" said Emma.

"Yeah, I can't believe I didn't cry either and it did hurt a lot. Although to be fair I don't really remember getting those stitches" admitted Jillian.

The show switched to profiling the other boats and Jillian smiled as the kids puffed out their chests when they saw their dad on TV. They were so proud of him and the work he does on the boat. The show ended and Michael made sure to save it for his mom and dad. Jillian walked Emma upstairs and tucked her into bed. Michael met her in the hallway again.

"Thanks for dinner and everything tonight. You are easily the best babysitter we've ever had" said Michael.

"Thank you for all your help. I really appreciated it" said Jillian honestly.

"No problem. Don't tell my dad, it would ruin my reputation" said Michael.

"Your secret is safe with me" said Jillian. "Good night."

"Night" said Michael before disappearing into his bedroom.

Jillian was laying on the couch dozing lightly when Edgar and Louise arrived home. She slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands.

"Hey Jillian. How did it go?" asked Edgar.

"Good. I put the leftovers from dinner in the fridge" said Jillian.

"Oh yeah? What did you make?" asked Louise.

"Shrimp Mac and Cheese" said Jillian. "The kids helped me cook. We baked some cookies too, they are on the counter."

Edgar walked into the kitchen and quickly returned with a cookie in each hand. He gave one to Louise before taking a bite of the other.

"Mmm homemade, these are awesome" said Edgar.

"The kids finished their homework and Eric went to bed on time. Emma and Michael stayed up to watch the show and then both went straight to bed" said Jillian.

"How was the show?" asked Edgar.

"Fine. I got to watch myself get stitches" said Jillian.

"Did you save it?" asked Louise.

"Yes" replied Jillian.

"Good, I like to watch" said Louise. "I think you are my new favorite character."

"It's always nice to meet a fan" said Jillian with a smile.

"Thanks again for coming over, we had a great date night" said Edgar.

"You're welcome. I'll be happy to do it again if you need it" said Jillian.

"Yeah definitely. No one was crying when we got home and the house is cleaner than when we left. If you lived here we'd hire you as the nanny" said Edgar.

"Your kids are great and I will happily babysit them anytime you need it" said Jillian genuinely.

"Do you want a cup of coffee or something before you go?" offered Louise.

"No, I think I just want to go home to Phil and go to bed" said Jillian.

"How are you and Phil doing?" asked Louise.

"Good. The repair is almost over so my time here is coming to a close" said Jillian sadly.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you decided to stay longer" said Louise knowingly.

"I'm sure the shop would be less than thrilled with my extended leave" said Jillian.

"I can always sneak on the boat and break something" said Edgar.

"No thanks, I'm really working hard getting that engine working perfectly" said Jillian.

"I know, it would kill me for someone to come in and mess with my work" said Edgar.

"Alright, well I'm heading out" said Jillian.

"Good night and thanks again" said Louise.

"I'll walk you out" said Edgar.

Edgar walked Jillian out thanking her again for babysitting and telling her to drive safe. Jillian climbed into the car and drove back to Phil's house.


	20. Chapter 20

The last day of Jillian's part of the Cornelia Marie's repairs had arrived. With bittersweet excitement she walked onto the deck of the boat with Phil following in her wake. Jillian made her way down to the engine room and went through her last checklist before firing up the two engines to see how they sounded. As she walked through the engine room for what she hoped for the last time she smiled at the beauty of the twin engines, still open so she could inspect the parts. Slipping on a pair of gloves she went through each of the engines with careful precision. She emerged from the engine room and asked Phil if he would do the honors and fire up the engines. Phil happily complied and everyone on deck grinned at the beautiful sound of two perfectly tuned engines firing on all cylinders. Jillian walked back into the engine room to watch the actual machinery run for a bit, when she was satisfied the engine was perfect she called Phil and told him he could turn off the engines. She was surprised to hear the engines still running as she walked up to the wheelhouse.

"Why are the engines still on?" asked Jillian.

"I'm just enjoying hearing the sound of a perfectly working engine" said Phil.

"Well turn it off. Save the perfectly working engine for when it's actually propelling the boat through the water" said Jillian.

"Fine" said Phil killing the engine.

Jillian signed off some paperwork regarding the engine and once it was completed she handed it to Phil.

"What's this?" asked Phil.

"It's a guarantee" said Jillian.

"A guarantee of what?" asked Phil.

"It's a guarantee of the engine repair. It says where all the parts were purchased from and if anything breaks I'll personally come and fix it" said Jillian.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever had a mechanic do this for me" said Phil.

"Well I'm completely confident that you will have no major engine issues this year" said Jillian.

"Don't jinx me" said Phil.

"I can't because I know every single piece of these engines and they are perfect" said Jillian.

"Fine, I hope you're right" said Phil.

"I am" said Jillian.

Phil just smiled and happily kissed Jillian on the lips.

"So I'm done here" said Jillian.

"Ok, what are you going to do now?" asked Phil.

"I'm going to head home and make the love of my life a very special celebratory dinner" said Jillian.

"Oh, who's the lucky guy?" asked Phil jokingly.

"He's really sexy and a little dominant yet loving and tender. He's the total package" said Jillian.

"Sounds like a catch. I hope you keep him happy" said Phil.

"I plan to" said Jillian. "I'll see you later."

"Ok" said Phil.

Jillian stopped at the market and picked up the makings of a delicious and romantic dinner. When she returned to Phil's house she happily prepped the meal. She set the table with a beautiful tablecloth, candles and some china she found in one of Phil's kitchen cabinets. When Phil finally got home and walked into the house his sense of smell was accosted by the scent of cooking meat. As he walked into the kitchen he saw Jillian bent over the oven wearing an apron and very little else. He walked up behind her and grabbed her waist pulling her flush to his body.

"Phil, please don't push me into the oven" said Jillian.

"Sorry" said Phil removing his hands and allowing her to stand up.

"Thank you" said Jillian as she removed her head from the oven.

"It smells good, what's cooking?" asked Phil.

"Lamb shanks" said Jillian.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever had that at home before" said Phil.

"It's going to be delicious" said Jillian.

Phil walked upstairs to shower and change before dinner. He came back into the kitchen and Jillian handed him a glass of crown and soda.

"If this is what I can expect every time I get home from work then you absolutely have to stay here with me" said Phil.

"I'd love too" said Jillian.

"But" said Phil knowingly.

"But, I need to go back to work" said Jillian. "You are busy with the rest of the boat refurbishing. We should get together once the boat repairs are finished."

"I don't know if I can wait that long" said Phil.

"I'm sure you will be able to, the boat still needs a lot more work" said Jillian.

A timer sounded and Jillian turned her attention to the oven. She pulled out the lamb shanks and vegetables. She moved them into a serving dish before moving a large bowl of couscous to the table.

"Ok Phil, will you please open the wine" said Jillian.

Phil poured the wine into the glasses and Jillian set the last of the meal on the table.

"It looks delicious" said Phil as he pulled out the chair for Jillian.

"Thank you, I wanted to make something very special to celebrate the finished engines" said Jillian.

"After you left I turned them on to listen to them again" admitted Phil.

"Why?" asked Jillian.

"Honestly, I've never heard them purr like that, it's the best they've ever sounded and it's all thanks to you" said Phil.

"I really liked working on the engine without being out on the water" said Jillian.

"You did a great job fixing the engine when we were on the boat" said Phil.

"Yes, but there is an element of danger in making repairs like that. On land I was able to completely concentrate on the engine I didn't have to worry about the ocean trying to make a point or something it's distracting" explained Jillian.

"You really don't like being out on the ocean, do you?" asked Phil.

"No, not really. It's too uncertain, too out of my control" said Jillian.

Jillian served Phil a plate with a little of everything before serving herself.

"What's this?" asked Phil.

"It's a cinnamon stick, don't eat it" said Jillian.

"I don't know if I've ever had meat with cinnamon but it's really delicious" said Phil.

"It's very middle eastern and it goes really well with the couscous" said Jillian.

"Yeah, I don't know if I've had that either" said Phil.

"I'm glad you are willing to be a little adventurous" said Jillian.

"I'm always up for a little adventure" said Phil with a smile.

Later that night found Jillian tied to Phil's bed loving the attention he was bestowing on her body. He played her body like an instrument, bringing out her pleasure and passion like no one else ever had. Phil smiled at Jillian's beautiful body spread out before him. Her willingness to let him completely dominate her was a heady experience. The amount of trust she placed in his hands made him want to give her the world.

"Jillian I wish you could see how beautiful you look right now" said Phil.

"I feel wonderful" said Jillian.

Phil reached down and carefully untied Jillian's wrist, he gathered her into his arms and held her until she drifted off to sleep. Phil didn't sleep he spent the next few hours studying Jillian while she slept, committing every curve and dimple to memory. She would leave in the next few days and he would be alone again. He didn't know how long he could stay separated from her. She was the only thing he wanted. Jillian stirred in her sleep her brow furrowed, Phil reached down and stroked his finger on her creased brow and watched as her face relaxed. A flood of happiness coursed through his body as he saw that he soothed her with just a touch of his hand. Phil finally allowed the exhaustion of the day pull him into sleep. Jillian shifted during the night resting her head on his chest. Phil's arms moved as if on strings to encapsulate Jillian in his arms. They woke the next morning in the same position. Phil's hands ran along Jillian's back waking her up with his ministrations. They made love slowly spending most of the morning in bed.

Jillian flew back to Dutch the following day and walked into her cold lonely apartment. She missed Phil already, her heart already breaking because they were so far away from each other. Before she knew it she'd dug out her cell and dialed Phil's number.

"Jillian, did you make it home safely?" asked Phil.

"Yes, but I already miss you" said Jillian.

Phil smiled broadly at this realization but chose not to say how happy it made him.

"Jillian, we will see each other soon. You will go back to work tomorrow and forget all about me" said Phil.

"I will go back to work tomorrow but I don't think any amount of work in the world could make me forget about you" said Jillian.

The conversation continued for a few more minutes before Phil had to go. Jillian held the phone in her hand, cradling it to her cheek hoping to pull a few more minutes of comfort from the conversation.

Jillian went back to work and although Magone's was as busy as ever she still found herself with more than enough time to pine after Phil. She managed to make it 2 weeks before she abruptly bought herself a plane ticket back to Seattle for the weekend. Phil followed suit and came up to visit Jillian for a week 3 weeks later. October finally arrived and Phil and the rest of the crew arrived in Dutch to start prepping the boat for King Crab season. Jillian was over the moon at being able to see Phil everyday. He spent most nights at her place. Jake and Josh had taken to coming over for dinner or the odd lunch when they had time. As the season began Jillian stood on the dock holding back tears as Phil and the Cornelia Marie drifted off into the distance. She managed to make it all the way back home before she broke down into gut wrenching sobs. Phil had told her it was important to leave everything at the dock, that all loose ends needed to be sewn up. He'd said goodbye to her as if he wasn't coming back and it took all Jillian's strength to let him go. She threw herself into work a Magone's volunteering to stay late or come in early. Work distracted her from how much she missed Phil, she knew that he wasn't going to be able to call while he was fishing.

The morning dawned the same as every other and Jillian hauled herself out of bed and into the bathroom for her morning ablutions. She dressed in her work coveralls and headed out to work. When she arrived she saw that the shop was a buzz with excitement. A ship had been evacuated just outside of the harbor and was listing on it's side. The shop had been chosen to salvage the ship. The boat was fairly small however the salvage on the vessel would be significant. Tony was going to go out on the salvage and he was going to take 2 people from the shop to get the boat prepped to pull in. Tony selected Jillian and Marco for the job.

"Jillian, take care of yourself out there" said Walt giving her a little kiss on the cheek.

"I will uncle Walt" said Jillian with a smile.

Jillian and Marco suited up and followed Tony onto the small tug boat. Jillian took out her tool kit and pulled out a few tools she would need to get the engine room prepped for towing. As the tug pulled up to the listing ship Jillian was surprised at the state of the boat. The weather had been fairly mild although according to Tony the boat had issues prior to their last trip. Issues that should have been taken care of to make the boat safer. It was a relief that everyone was able to get off the boat safely and that the boat was still able to be salvaged. At least that way the owner would be able to get some money back on his boat. Jillian and Marco slipped on their lifejackets before jumping onto the listing boats deck. They were both is rain gear and heavy duty deck boots.

"Ok Jillian, I'm going to the wheelhouse. Let's test the radios" said Marco.

"Marco, I'm going to the engine room" said Jillian over the small hand held radio.

"Roger" said Marco.

Jillian made her way down the stairs into the flooded engine room. She tried to keep herself as dry as possible but the moment her feet actually touched the engine room floor she was almost up to her waist in the water. She waded over to the main engine and radioed Marco.

"Marco, I've made it to the engine, over" said Jillian.

"Roger, how is it?" asked Marco.

"It's basically underwater" said Jillian.

"Shit, really? I'm going to try to fire up the main are you safe down there?" asked Marco.

"Yeah, give me a second to step back incase this thing blows up or something" said Jillian.

"Ok, I'll give you 5" said Marco.

Jillian stepped back from the engine and waited to see if it would actually fire up. She heard it start to sputter slightly and then die. Stepping forward she checked the engine and was able to see that part of engine was fried.

"Marco, I'm going to try to see what the problem is ok" said Jillian.

"Roger, do you want me to kill the engine?" asked Marco.

"No it's already dead, I think I'll be fine" said Jillian.

She started her work, removing some of the burnt wiring and eventually found that the problem was mainly superficial however the saltwater that had spilled into the engine had ruined almost all the wiring and there was no grease left on the majority of the parts. Once Jillian had made her deduction she radioed Marco to tell him she was done and heading up. He said he'd meet her on deck once he secured the wheel. Jillian began to walk through the engine room, she made it just a few steps when she heard the terrible sound of breaking steal. The next thing Jillian knew she was being pushed across the engine room by a torrent of water. A pipe had broken and was currently filling the engine room with water direct from one of the circulation pipes that's fed directly from the ocean. Marco realized that something was terribly wrong the second he got out on deck. The boat shifted violently to the side knocking Marco off his feet and slamming him into the coiler. The door of the engine room was now almost submerged.

"Jillian! Jillian are you ok?" Marco called desperately into the radio.

He received no response. He attempted to drag himself towards the engine room but the impact with the coiler had seriously hurt his leg. Inside the engine room Jillian was desperately trying to get her head above water. Her arm was throbbing painfully and she wondered why she couldn't seem to get her body to obey her commands. Deciding that the rain gear was holding her down she began to take off the jacket, her head dipped below the water and she struggled with the snaps. With the jacket off she was able to pull the suspenders off and slip out of the pants and boots. Her body immediately bobbed to the surface. Taking a huge breath, her lungs burned. The engine room was dark and Jillian couldn't tell which way was out. The boat shifted again causing more water to pour into the engine room. Jillian struggled to find something to stand on so she could keep her head above water. She was so cold and suddenly so very tired. She hoped Marco would hurry and find her so she could get out of the water.

Tony frantically waited for Jillian and Marco to appear on deck. It became clear that something catastrophic was happening on the boat. He picked up the radio and called for the coast guard.

"Coast guard this is the Tug boat Magone. I'm currently just outside Dutch Harbor attempting a salvage, I have two crew members on the Carry Ann and I think the boat is going down. Please I need help" said Tony.

Sig was sitting in the wheelhouse of the Northwestern when he heard the call. He waited to hear the Coasties response to the call. Saying a prayer that Jillian was not one of the crew members.

"Tug Boat Magone this is Coast Guard one we are dispatching a JayHawk Helicopter to your location. Please advise on the status of the vessel, over."

"The boat is listing over on it's side. It's dropped another 15 degrees since they got on board. One crew member would have headed to the wheelhouse the other to the engine room, neither has reappeared. I'm right next to the boat, if they appear on deck I can render aid" explained Tony.

"Roger, are the crew members in survival suits, over."

"No, they are wearing lifejackets, but not survival suits" said Tony sadly.

"The helicopter will be there soon."

"Roger" said Tony.

Sig sighed in the wheelhouse of the Northwestern, he had a gut feeling that Jillian was on the boat and in serious danger. He wanted to find out for sure but part of him felt he already knew.

"Tug Boat Magone, this is Jayhawk 1 we are over your position. We see a crew member on the deck of the salvage boat, he seems to be able to wave however not stand. Basket out the door."

The jayhawk dropped the basket onto the deck of the boat and Marco attempted to pull himself into the basket, after a few failed attempts he finally made it in. The basket was pulled up into the helicopter.

"You have to get Jillian. She's in the engine room" said Marco the moment the basket breached the doorway.

"Are you sure she's there?" asked one of the coasties.

"Yes, please you have to save her" pleaded Marco.

The pilot of the Jayhawk continued to give a play by play to Tony on the dock. He told him that Marco had been rescued and that they were sending a rescue swimmer down to the deck. Tony watched the basket drop back on the deck. The rescue swimmer quickly found the door to the engine room and pried it open. The room was completely dark and even with the illumination from his head lamp it was hard to see. The water had almost completely filled the room and the swimmer wasn't sure anyone would be able to find a pocket of air to breath. He called out to the empty room and got no response. He scanned the room and was shocked to see an orange rain jacket floating in the water. Determined to find the owner of the jacket he dove into the water filled engine room. It took him three separate dives to find Jillian, she was submerged under water. The swimmer hooked his arms under hers and pulled her out on deck. He easily got her into the basket and it was immediately hauled into the copter. The medic immediately started to work on her cutting her out of the shirt she was wearing and starting CPR, she wasn't breathing and her heart beat was non existent. The helicopter pilot radioed the news to Tony who broke down into to tears on the radio. The helicopter took Jillian to Cold Bay, by the time she arrived the medic had managed to get a thready pulse. She was loaded onto a C130 and medivaced to Anchorage. Marco went with her, he wouldn't even let the medic look at his broken leg on the copter, he wanted everyones attention on Jillian. He held her hand trying not to cry at the coldness of her skin.

Sig couldn't wait any longer to find out if Jillian was the other deck hand pulled off the sinking salvaged ship. He called Magone's asking to talk to Walt. His suspicions were confirmed and he and Walt both said a prayer together for Jillian's health and safety.

"Sig, will you please tell Phil. I don't think I can right now. But I know he'd want to know" said Walt quietly.

"Yes, I'll call him right now" said Sig.

Sig called the Cornelia Marie on the radio hoping Phil already knew what was going on.

"Cornelia this is Freddie."

"Freddie, I need to talk to Phil. It's Sig."

"He's sleeping right now, is it an emergency?" asked Freddie.

"Yes, get him now" said Sig.

"Roger" said Freddie.

Sig heard him set down the radio and then just waited in the silence until Phil sleepily picked up the radio.

"Sig, what's up" answered Phil.

"Phil, Jillian was out on a salvage this morning and something happened she got evac'd by the coasties" said Sig in a rush.

"Where? Is she ok?" asked Phil.

"It's not looking good. The coasties told Tony she wasn't doing well" said Sig.

"Oh my God" said Phil.

"I'm sorry Phil. We're going to say a prayer over here for her. Let me know if you hear anything" said Sig.

"Thanks Sig" said Phil distractedly.

The radio chatter continued as all those who'd met or knew Jillian were informed of her accident. Walt called the Cornelia Marie to tell Phil Jillian had made it to Anchorage General and was in the ICU. The prognosis was unknown right now and she was listed in serious condition. Sig called June telling her what was going on and asking her to fly up to Anchorage to be with Jillian. June agreed immediately. Phil turned the boat back towards Dutch determined to get to Jillian's side as soon as possible.

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger, please don't get too upset. Thank you for the reviews from the last chapter and the next chapter is already in the works.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: In light of recent events I've decided to finish up this story. I hope you've enjoyed the story and don't forget to keep Phil in your prayers.

Jillian lay quietly in the ICU bed, she was surrounded by machines and her body covered with tubes. June was quietly brushing her hair around the tubing. She stroked her hand across Jillian's pale cheek, her skin was still cool to the touch even though she was covered by warmed blankets.

"How is she doing?" asked the Nurse as she entered the room.

"The same" said June.

The nurse took Jillian's vital signs and placed another bag of IV fluid on the pole.

"Her heart is beating in a good rhythm. She's a strong girl, hopefully she will be able to pull through this" said the Nurse.

"Me too, she's a wonderful girl" said June.

"We will keep her intubated until her blood levels show enough oxygen. These next 12 hours are critical to see how her body responds to treatment" explained the Nurse.

"Ok, her um husband should be here soon" said June. "I'll let him know what's going on."

"It's wonderful that her family is able to come stay with her" said the Nurse.

The hospital's policy of family only in the ICU had made June do some quick thinking about how she was "related" to Jillian. She was now Jillian's older sister which she felt wasn't too much of a lie. June really hoped Phil wouldn't be offended by her marrying him off to Jillian. June picked up one of Jillian's hands and looked at her nails.

"Well Jillian, how about I give you a much needed manicure before Phil gets here" said June.

She spent the next hour cleaning the grease from under Jillian's nails and washing her hands. Next she brushed her hair as best she could trying her best to avoid pulling out any of the tubes.

Phil let out a sigh of relief as the tiny plane touched down in Anchorage. He'd brought the Cornelia Marie into Dutch full speed. He'd called Murray who'd said he'd leave immediately to take over as relief captain. He'd left Freddie in charge until Murray arrived. Jake and Josh had both driven him to the airport telling him to give Jillian a hug from them. Phil grabbed his bag and headed out onto the tarmac. He hopped into a cab telling the driver his destination. He'd called June from the airport in Dutch to tell her he was on his way. She said Jillian's condition hadn't changed which was both good and bad news. The driver pulled up at the hospital and Phil paid the man twice the fare before hurrying inside. Phil felt a horrible sense of deja vu as he walked through the hospital towards the ICU. He'd been there before when he was sick, the nurse at the station even looked familiar. As he got closer the nurse looked up from her paperwork and smiled in recognition.

"Well if it isn't Phil Harris, you are looking much better than the last time I saw you" said the nurse.

"Hi, I'm here to see Jillian" said Phil.

"Oh yes, your wife's sister is in there with her. You can go in too" said the nurse.

Phil did his best to appear nonchalant but the truth was the nurse calling Jillian his wife had startled him. Deciding it was best to just go to Jillian, he turned away from the nurses station and started down the hall.

"She's in room 2" called the nurse.

"Thanks" replied Phil continuing down the hallway.

Phil opened the door of room 2 and his breath caught in his throat. Jillian looked tiny in the hospital bed and she had tubes coming out of her mouth, nose and both arms. Tears formed in Phil's eyes and he immediately walked forward to the bedside.

"Hi Phil, she's stable" said June.

Phil started, he hadn't even realized that June was in the room, even though the nurse had told him so moments before.

"Thank you for being here with her" said Phil his eyes never leaving Jillian.

"There is a chair on the other side of the bed if you want to sit down" said June.

"Honestly, if I could I would just climb in and collect her in my arms and never let go" said Phil.

"Well, I'm sure the nurses would have something to say about that" said June.

"Has she moved or anything?" asked Phil.

"No. The nurse says her oxygen saturation is almost normal and her body temperature is supposedly normal, but she still feels cold to me" said June.

Phil picked up her hand and rubbed it gently between his hands in an attempt to warm them. He moved around the bed to the other chair and picked up Jillian's other hand giving it the same warming treatment. Phil leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Jillian's forehead.

"Jillian, I'm here. You can wake up now so I can make sure you're ok" said Phil quietly. "I can't believe you volunteered to go on the salvage, you hate doing repairs on the water."

Jillian's hand twitched slightly on the blanket. Louise noticed and was just about to tell Phil when he started to speak again.

"I can't loose you. Please come back from wherever you are. It might be nicer than here but I promise you no one there loves you more than I do" said Phil.

He was openly crying, tears spilling down onto Jillian's arm.

Jillian felt as if she was underwater, her chest hurt terribly and every breath she took felt strange. As much as she wanted to surrender herself to the comforting darkness someone important was calling her and she felt compelled to answer. Summoning strength she didn't even know she possessed she opened her eyes. Everything in the room was painfully bright and Jillian immediately closed her eyes against the pain. She could hear Phil talking and although she couldn't really understand the words he was saying she could tell that he was crying. The feel of his tears on her wrist broke her heart a little. She wanted to comfort him, assure him that she was ok. She struggled to speak but something was in her mouth. Her hands flexed and she pulled her hand out of Phil's grasp and moved it up to her face. She touched the tubing coming out of her mouth and immediately her eyes opened wide and she started to panic.

Phil and June erupted in surprise at Jillian's movements. Phil lunged for the call button pressing it compulsively. June threw open the door of the room yelling for a nurse to come. The charge nurse burst into the room a moment later with the doctor on call. The doctor immediately approached Jillian who was still trying to tear the tube out of her mouth.

"Jillian, it's lovely to see your eyes open and if you give me a minute I'll get this tube out. But you need to calm down or you are going to do yourself damage" said the doctor sternly.

Jillian's forehead furrowed in consternation but she complied with the doctors request. She turned her head to look at Phil who seemed to be in shock at the turn of events. She tried to smile at him to tell him she was alright but her mouth was full of tubes but she hoped her eyes conveyed the message. Phil reached out and grasped her hand with both of his and squeezed, Jillian did her best to squeeze back as hard as she could. The doctor returned with a couple of nurses and a surgical tray.

"Ok, Jillian we are going to take that tube out of your mouth so you can talk to your sister and husband" said the doc.

Jillian just smiled benignly and opened her mouth for the procedure. She would ask June and Phil about their new relationships once she could talk.

"Jillian, this may hurt a little, but I want you to take a deep breath then blow out while I remove the tube" said the doctor.

The procedure was over in a moment and Jillian took a deep unassisted breath for the first time in 20 hours. Jillian's mouth moved but no sound emerged.

"Have a sip of water, your vocal chords are dry from the tube" said the nurse passing Jillian a cup with a straw. Jillian gratefully took a few sips before setting the cup on the tray.

"Alright, well we will send in a nurse to get some blood to check your oxygen level" said the doctor. "I'm glad you're back with us, you had us worried for a bit."

"Thank you" whispered Jillian.

The doctor and nurses smiled then left the room. Jillian waited a few moments to make sure they were out of earshot before she asked her first question.

"When did we get married?" asked Jillian, her voice nothing more than a horse whisper.

"I can't believe you don't remember" said Phil in mock horror.

Jillian just frowned at this pronouncement.

"Your sister was even here to witness it" continued Phil.

Jillian really looked confused as her eyes scanned the room. Her eyes passed completely over June then shifted back to her. June waved happily.

"I must still be unconscious" said Jillian to herself.

"You aren't, don't let Phil confuse you" said June. "We were only allowed in if we were family so we've exaggerated our relationships a little."

"Oh, ok" said Jillian her voice getting slightly stronger.

"I just married you for the money" said Phil.

"I'm afraid rumors of my wealth have been vastly overrated" said Jillian.

"I'll have to talk to Walt about that, he gave me some bad information" said Phil.

"Is the season over already? How long have I been out?" asked Jillian.

"No the season isn't over. When I heard you were hurt I drove the boat right back to Dutch. I had to be with you even if it was just to say goodbye" said Phil is voice chocking with emotion.

"I'm so glad you're here" said Jillian her eyes filled with unshed tears.

The nurse bustled into the room a few hours later and was shocked to see Phil in bed with Jillian, both of them fast asleep. This was completely against hospital policy and probably over the weight capacity for that tiny hospital bed. However, the two of them looked so sweet together she was hesitant to reprimand them. She sidled up to Jillian and began prepping her arm for the blood draw. The moment the cold alcohol pad hit Jillian's skin her eyes snapped open. She saw the nurse pulling out a huge needle and her body tensed. This caused Phil to stir in his sleep and pull her closer to him while he slept.

"It's ok, sweetie I'll make it quick. We just want to get a blood sample to check your blood oxygen level" explained the nurse.

"Ok, but I really don't like needles" said Jillian.

"Oh please I saw you on Deadliest Catch. You had 15 stitches in your arm twice without even a flinch" said the nurse.

"Fine" said Jillian thrusting out her arm and turning her head away.

Phil opened his eyes and he felt Jillian shift, he noticed her eyes were squeezed shut and saw the nurse taking a vile of blood from her.

"It's almost done, sweetheart" said Phil comfortingly.

"I don't like needles" said Jillian.

"Well I have no sympathy for you when I was sick I had to inject myself in the stomach 3 times a day with a huge needle" said Phil.

"Good for you" said Jillian with a pout.

The nurse finished up and scuttled out of the room without a second glance at the pair on the bed. June had left to go back to the hotel to take a shower and call Sig. Phil and Jillian slept for another few hours together before the doctor came in.

"Hi Jillian, Phil. I've never seen two people on a hospital bed before" said the doctor.

"I have some good news" continued the doctor. "Your oxygen level is back to normal, you will still have some decreased lung capacity so no more scuba diving. We of course are going to keep you for at least a week, you almost died out there and we want you in tip top shape before we release you. Do you have any questions?"

"What happened to me?" asked Jillian. "The last thing I remember was being in the engine room trying to keep my head above water."

"Marco said that the coast guard rescue swimmer found you in the engine room and brought you into the helicopter, you weren't breathing and didn't have a heart beat. You were technically dead. They resuscitated you in the copter on the way to Cold Bay then brought you here. You arrived here less than 2 hours after you were pulled from the water. By the time you got here you had a breathing tube and your heart was beating on it's own. We brought up your temp, ran a lot of tests and then sat back at let your body do the rest. You are very lucky to be alive" finished the doctor.

Jillian said nothing, hearing the whole story was completely overwhelming.

"I want to take you for a scan to check your lungs again, it's just to make sure there is no severe damage" said the doctor.

"Ok, whatever you need to do. Thank you for saving me" said Jillian quietly.

"It seems you have a lot to live for" said the doctor.

The doctor walked out of the room leaving Phil and Jillian on their own again. They said nothing to each other just found comfort in each other's arms.

Jillian spent the next 10 days in the hospital before Phil took her home with him to Seattle. During the entire hospital stay Phil never left her side, not even to smoke. Back in Seattle Phil settled into his role as nursemaid taking great pleasure in fattening Jillian back up and making sure every desire was satisfied. One afternoon Phil decided that it was time to get out of the house. He picked out an outfit for Jillian and laid it out on the bed for her. She reluctantly dressed and followed Phil out to the garage. He settled her on his Harley and drove her up to his favorite mountain look out. They stood together in front of a beautiful sunset and said their vows of love to each other. No rings were exchanged only true sentiments from their hearts. That night Phil made love to Jillian as gently as if she was spun glass sealing their vows in action. The season eventually ended and everyone stopped by at one time or another to pay a visit to Jillian. Phil proudly showed off his new domestic skills by whipping up dinners and lunches for whoever visited. Opie season came and went with Phil back captaining the Cornelia Marie to their most successful season yet. And so it went.

And they lived happily ever after.


End file.
